Do you vote for your representative to actually represent your state or just your party?

@Pandora I hope that the representative does actually think of all the constituents when he/she votes, but I know that isn’t the case.

My representative is a Tea Party stalwart, right wing nut. He absolutely doesn’t pay any attention to the 50% of the district that votes democratic. And the way they gerrymandered districts in Georgia, it will be hard to vote him out.

The good news is that because of the Census last year, there will be redistricting again, and we might have a chance to get a real representative here.

@elbanditoroso

How far do you live from Marjorie Taylor Greene’s district?
Is your “rep” as horrendous as she is?

I can only imagine the aggravation of being “represented” by a psychotic anti-Semite.

I vote for my local representative because I know him and I like him. He used to be a Republican and now is a Democrat. But he’s not psychotic.

@Brian1946 She is up in the NW corner of the state near Chattanooga.

I am in exurban Atlanta towards Athens. So her district is about a 90 minute drive away.

Neither. I vote for my representative to represent me with the expectation that, since I am just one of the many people they need to represent, they will go on to represent the people of their district. I don’t expect them to represent the whole state since it’s not the whole state that votes for them (nor is it their job to represent the whole state). As for their party, I don’t think it should be anything other than an imperfect shorthand for the sort of policies they might support.

And for the record, I think that all official recognition of political parties ought to be abolished. People should be allowed to organize as they wish, but there’s no reason to recognize it on our ballots or embed it into our electoral and legislative procedures.

I expect my representative to represent the district they are responsible for, but I vote for the candidate who most closely is in line with my opinions and needs. I want them to be willing to go against the majority in their district when the people are being idiots, wanting something illegal, or harmful. Representatives should be better informed and more objective than the average person, but it doesn’t always happen. Possibly rarely happens.

The Senators and Governor are responsible for representing and taking care of the needs of the state. Mayors focus on the city and county.

I vote for candidates that will best represent me – by how closely their position on issues matches mine, whether local, state, national, or global issues. I am only registered with a specific party because it is a requirement to be able to vote in the primaries where I live.

@JLeslie Yes a Rep, represents his district but how they all vote can affect the whole state. So even though they primarily represent their district, they can throw their district under the bus if they vote with other party members because they have to tow the party line. This may mean selling out their state when they and other representatives from their state are afraid to do the right thing.
Say for instance that the Dems want to create clean energy jobs that will bring tons of jobs to a particular state. They would love to have the jobs, but the Republican party wants them to tow the line and fight dems just to be difficult. Now the votes are down to the wire and one vote away from getting or not getting those jobs. That one vote can affect the whole state.

@Pandora I’m completely against either party holding their ground just to be difficult or be the opposition just to make some sort of stand against the other party when it might be something everyone should be agreeing with.

Problem I see too often is trying to stuff too much into a bill and then if there are parts the other party doesn’t like they don’t want to sign off. I don’t know if that’s happening in your example.

I am for progress usually and the greater good. I am willing to vote against myself sometimes for what I feel is for the greater good. I do believe helping society at large benefits everyone in the end.