Congressmen as Constituents

Abstract

This research looks at the work of Richard Fenno Jr., author of “U.S House Members in their Constituencies: An Exploration,”
as published in the 1977 American Political Science Review. This research seeks to expand upon Fenno’s work by exploring a
medium unavailable in the late 1970’s – social media and personal web pages. Through a consideration of Facebook and Twitter,
this paper explores how representatives use social media to appear as a part of their respective constituencies. This research also uses social media to further explore Fenno’s argument that politicians polish their image at the expense of Congress.