Electoral Career Movements and the Flow of Political Power in the American Federal System

Abstract

I offer a novel way of documenting the flow of power between the state and federal governments. Rather than look at programs or expenditures, I examine the behavior of elected officials. Assuming that ambitious politicians gravitate toward the locus of political power, I track the flow of elected officials in the American federal system. Specifically, I look at the career paths of more than 12,000 individuals who served in the U.S. Congress between 1789 and 2012. By analyzing the movement of elected officials between the state and federal levels, I confirm the prevailing story line on the evolution of American federalism while generating a measure that can be used to assess the relative distribution of power in the system across time.

Legislative Power and Women's Representation

“…The “power of the legislature” also can influence the types of individuals holding office in the legislature, particularly in terms of their political ambition 6 . Legislatures with less power may entice representatives who view a job in the legislature as a stepping stone toward more powerful political offices or who merely wish to dabble in politics (Jones et al 2002; Samuels 2003; Squire 2007; 2014). What research has been less likely to consider, particularly in comparative politics, are the consequences of legislative power for descriptive representation of traditionally underrepresented groups—such as women.…”

The Political Careers of the PNL Members in the Governments Related to the 2020-2024 Legislature

“…In addition to professional training, the support of the party or certain interest groups (trade unions, patronage, or relations with the state's international partners such as the EU, NATO, IMF, and WB) are relevant elements in the appointment process within the executive apparatus. Elements such as the level of commitment to a political career, the type of professional background before a parliamentary career, the age at which individuals entered politics, and political ambition are indicators of political professionalisation (Squire, 2017).…”