Candidates and Voters Ideology, Valence, and Representation in U.S Elections

Candidates and Voters extends our understanding of voting, elections, and representation by elaborating a simple theory of voting choice based on voters' interest in policy and in the suitability of candidates to hold elective office ('leadership valence'). Voters' choices must be understood in the context of the choices between opposing candidates they are offered on these two dimensions. Drawing on extensive analysis of US House races, Stone shows that although voters lack the information that many analysts assume they need to function in a democracy, they are most often able to choose the better candidate on the policy and valence dimensions. In addition, candidates, when they decide whether and how to run, anticipate the interests that drive voters. The book shows that elections tend to produce outcomes on policy and leadership valence consistent with voters' interests, and challenges skeptical views of how well the electoral process works.

1. Introduction; 2. Candidates, voting choice and election outcomes; 3. Design and data: district informants and the study of congressional elections; 4. Polarization in congressional elections since 1952; 5. Ideological proximity, valence, and voter choice; 6. Correct voting on proximity and valence; 7. Anticipated reactions and challenger entry; 8. The proximity and valence rules in district voting; 9. District ideological representation; 10. Getting it right? Valence and ideology in district representation; Conclusion.

Walter J. Stone is Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Davis. He has received multiple research grants in support of his work from the National Science Foundation and from the Carnegie Corporation. Prior to joining the University of California, Davis faculty, he was Professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and visiting Professor at Stanford University.