Uncovering the Dimensionality of Gender Voting in Congress

A unidimensional liberal-conservative voting model is generally accepted as the pattern that structures Congressional voting. Empirical research on mass and elite gender consciousness, case studies on congressional handling of women's issues, and feminist theory all imply, however, that more than one dimension should be used to explain voting for legislation that affects women. Using exploratory factor analysis, I provide evidence of a gender-related dimension in a set of voting indexes and a set of roll-call votes made by both male and female members of the 101st, 102d, and 103d Congresses.