Contours of Friendship and Respect in the Legislature

Interpersonal relations—patterns of friendship and respect—exemplify the informal organization of legislative institutions and provide the basis for legislative action. Who are the representatives who garner friendship and respect in the legislature? How widely are friendship and respect allocated among legislators? What characteristics and attitudes compel nominations of a friend or respected colleague? We address these questions using data from personal interviews with 119 Iowa state legislators. Members were asked to nominate (1) their five closest friends in the legislature, and (2) five members they respected. A multivariate analysis of nominations of friends and respected colleagues yields their major correlates, and shows intriguing differences between the sources of friendship and respect.