LATINOS AND SUBSTANTIVE REPRESENTATION IN THE US HOUSE-OF-REPRESENTATIVES - DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR NONEXISTENT

Theory: This article poses and examines theories concerning substantiv e representation of Latinos in the U.S. House of Representatives. Hypo thesis: With increasing numbers of Latinos in the United States and in the U.S. House during the 1980s, an increase in direct (dyadic) subst antive representation of Latinos might be anticipated. Method: Regress ion analysis is used to analyze scores of congressional voting pattern s from Southwest Voter Research Institute (SWVRI) relative to (a) the ethnic background of representatives, and (b) the percent of Latino co nstituents in House districts. Results: As with previous studies of Re presentatives' voting patterns in the 1970s, this study finds little d irect, substantive representation of Latinos. Representatives who are of Latino origin have somewhat distinct voting patterns, and Latino co nstituencies have little impact on how representatives vote. But durin g the period studied, legislation deemed salient to Latinos was enacte d, indicating that collective or partisan substantive representation d oes occur. The empirical and normative implications of these findings are considered.