Governing in a Polarized Age

Many political observers have expressed doubts as to whether Americas leaders are up to the task of addressing major policy challenges. Yet much of the critical commentary lacks grounding in the systematic analysis of the core institutions of the American political system including elections, representation, and the law-making process. Governing in a Polarized Age brings together more than a dozen leading scholars to provide an in-depth examination of representation and legislative performance. Drawing upon the seminal work of David Mayhew as a point of departure, these essays explore the dynamics of incumbency advantage in todays polarized Congress, asking whether the focus on individual re-election that was the hallmark of Mayhews ground-breaking book, Congress: The Electoral Connection, remains useful for understanding todays Congress. The essays link the study of elections with close analysis of changes in party organization and with a series of systematic assessments of the quality of legislative performance.