Beyond self-interest: Educational interest groups and congressional influence

Most research on interest groups has focused on theoretical perspectives co ncerning why members join these groups. Missing from this work is any conne ction between theories of organizational maintenance (i.e., how an organiza tion forms) and research on influence activity (i.e., what an organization does). This article argues that a connection exists between organizational maintenance and the participation of their members in the organization's in fluence activities. Relying on a two-stage study of educational interest gr oups and the U.S. Congress, this article maintains that rational choice the ories of interest group maintenance cannot account for the presence and per severance of Washington-based education interest groups. A theory acknowled ging levels of ideological commitment may be a more appropriate model for u nderstanding educational interest groups at the national level.