Kings of the Hill? An Examination of Centrist Behavior in the U.S. Senate

Objectives Spatial voting literature on Congress indicates that the most powerful members are the ones who sit in the ideological center. This study examines how pivotal voters use that power in their participation in Congress. Methods This study examines two modes of congressional participation on two highly salient health†care bills—the filing of amendments and the delivery of floor speeches. Results This study finds that pivotal voters shy away from the legislative limelight. Pivotal voters choose to avoid the public eye by rarely proposing amendments or delivering floor speeches on these bills. Conclusions While theoretically pivotal, centrists who play the role of pivotal voters are more concerned about their electoral prospects than their legislative prowess and, as a result, defer congressional participation to party and committee leaders so as to avoid the ire of constituents.