Descriptive Representatives, Party Status, and Latino Representation in Congressional Legislation

Abstract

Empirical research has yet to adequately address the substantive implications of Latino descriptive representation in legislative activities like bill sponsorship, or to explore whether party status impacts the relationship between descriptive and substantive representation. I examine an original dataset of bills sponsored during the 109th and 110th congresses to assess the effect of descriptive representation on the sponsorship of Latino interest bills. Results illustrate that Latino representatives sponsored more Latino interest bills than their non-Latino colleagues during both congresses. The heightened commitment of Latino representatives to the sponsorship of Latino interest bills was unaffected by important partisan changes during the period in question, underscoring the substantive effect of descriptive representation.