Party over Principles: Reassessing Democratic Elitism among American Politicians

• In Event: Public Attitudes toward Democratic Principles, Reforms, and Backsliding

Abstract

Scholars have argued for decades that American politicians are more committed to democratic norms than the general public-a theory known as democratic elitism. This paper tests American politicians' commitment to fair partisan competition and respect for minority political rights. Using two experiments with about 700 sitting state legislators and local policymakers, this study directly tests how politicians weigh these democratic principles against partisan gains. Contemporary politicians are as willing as members of the public to pursue partisan advantage at the expense of democratic norms. Moreover, this willingness is exacerbated by two converging forces: politicians' ideological extremism and the competitiveness of their elections. The study also uncovers that politicians overestimate their opponents' willingness to subvert fair partisan competition, a misjudgment that potentially fuels the erosion of democratic elitism through preemptive strikes. This analysis advances our understanding of politicians' behavior by highlighting how partisanship, ideological commitments, and electoral stakes shape policy preferences.

Author

• Curtis Bram, University of Texas at Dallas