Who Benefits from the Party Organization? Evidence from Republican House Members’ Attendance at Caucus Meetings

Members who are party leaders or electorally vulnerable are more likely to attend caucus meetings, while those with seniority or who vote less with their party are less likely to do so. Attendance is driven by the pursuit of private benefits such as information and agenda influence.

Research Question

Who attends Republican House caucus meetings, and what does this tell us about party organization and member incentives?

Main Finding

Members who are party leaders or electorally vulnerable are more likely to attend caucus meetings, while those with seniority or who vote less with their party are less likely to do so. Attendance is driven by the pursuit of private benefits such as information and agenda influence.

Research Design

A mixed-methods approach combining elite interviews and original quantitative data on attendance records from 2007–2013.

Data Employed

Interviews with Republican members and staffers, along with unique administrative data on weekly caucus attendance.

Substantive Importance

The study reveals how internal party institutions distribute influence and resources, especially away from the public eye. It highlights how party cohesion and internal strategy are reinforced through informal practices like caucus meetings.

Research Areas

Party Organization, Legislative Behavior, Elite Interviews, Electoral Behavior, Partisanship

Citation

@article{caucus,
  author = {Dynes, Adam and Reeves, Andrew},
  title = {Who Benefits from the Party Organization? Evidence from Republican House Members' Attendance at Caucus Meetings},
  journal = {Legislative Studies Quarterly},
  volume = {43},
  number = {2},
  pages = {207--243},
  year = {2018},
}

Links

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