As the House of Representatives endures one of its most disruptive transitions in the past century, two fundamental points remain valid. Despite obstacles such as legislative and partisan gamesmanship, polarization, redistricting and personal eccentricities, the House is a vibrant institution where 435 often free-spirited individuals are elected every two years. And the power of 218 typically prevails in what remains in many ways the ultimate majoritarian body, sometimes in spite of itself. As the chief author of the 2016 edition of The Almanac of American Politics, I had the opportunity to review the background of these lawmakers as I profiled the House members. It’s often been noted that House members are quickly forgotten once they leave the chamber. A more relevant point is that many of these lawmakers are barely known even while they serve. In comments to reporters in 2012, then-House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy offered eerie insight to the chaos and challenges that the next Speaker of the House will face, “The Senate is like a country club, and the House is like stopping at a truck stop
Subscribe Today
Our subscribers have first access to individual race pages for each House, Senate and Governors race, which will include race ratings (each race is rated on a seven-point scale) and a narrative analysis pertaining to that race.