Constituencies of Legislators

Fenno (1978) discusses what he calls the "home style" of legislators, recognizing that the legislator in Washington has more than one constituency to which he or she plays and that the style of work, leadership, and behavior shown may differ for different constituencies. The four constituencies identified by Fenno are geographic, reelection, primary, and personal. Fenno distinguishes two overriding constituencies--the district and the nation. The legislator has a responsibility to both and also plays to both, using different styles. The home style differs from the Washington style, though they overlap and though activities directed toward one constituency have a resonance and a purpose with the other. The basic purpose held by legislators toward their constituencies is the same: "Representatives and prospective representatives think about their constituencies because they seek support in their constituencies. They want to be nominated and elected, then renominated and reelected" (p. 31). Their home style is related to this desire as they present to their home constituency the face that they believe will get them reelected. The home style is what they do at home when they meet with their constituencies, explain what they do in Washington, discuss the importance of their job, try to deal with constituent demands, and so on.

Fenno analyzes the home style in terms of three specific activities which he says are brought together to form the home style of the legislator.

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