Kingdom Voting (Part 6): Differences in House & Senate Representation

A second reason America’s constitutional republic is imperfect stems from differences in the way constituents view their elected representatives. In short, legislators in the House of Representatives tend to represent smaller, more ideologically similar constituencies, while those in the Senate have to appeal to voters statewide. Whether cities make people liberal or liberals move to cities is of little consequence; most urbanites vote for Democrats.

Similarly, most people in rural communities vote for Republicans. Because of the way districts are drawn, they can have these for the House, but they have to compromise on who will represent them for the Senate. Senators may not be the most adored politicians, but they are often more broadly acceptable to a wider share of voters. Thus, the House tends to be more extreme and the Senate tends to be more moderate.

These tendencies have practical ramifications in the way Congress operates. The House of Representatives has strong partisans on both sides with strong mandates from their constituencies, but fewer moderates who can actually cross the aisle and compromise to pass legislation. On the other hand, the Senate has more moderates, especially from swing states, and they must be very careful not to offend any component of the slim majority upon which their re-election relies. These conditions are not necessarily good or bad, but rather a description of the political landscape.

What does all of this mean for believers who reign as kings and queens (voters) in a constitutional republic? Regardless of your personal views, you exercise your citizenship in partnership with your neighbors. You must all work together to nominate and elect representatives who best represent your interests. Believers are expected to do this while being as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. Understanding how the nature of each role influences the electoral and legislative process can help you do this in a way that glorifies God and advances His kingdom.