Legislature vs. Legislator: A Note on the Paradox of Congressional Support

The paradox of low public evaluation of Congress and high re-election rates for its members is often explained by the advantages of incumbency. However, factor analysis of 1968 election data shows that support for Congress is related to support for national leaders and institutions while support for members of Congress is related to support for state authorities and institutions. Members of Congress seem to be regarded as state politicians, deriving support from their local activities, while Congress is regarded as a national institution, dependent on different sources of support.