Life in the Middle

A long-held belief of political scientists is that moderate voices in the Senate act as power brokers between the ideological poles, yet year after year we see partisan gridlock in Congress. Some even argue that the shrinking number of moderates only increases their political influence.In Life in the Middle, Neilan S. Chaturvedi argues that the belief in the powerful, pivotal moderate neglects their electoral circumstances and overestimates their legislative power. In other words, not all Senators are elected under equal circumstances. Chaturvedi posits that, unlike their ideological counterparts who are elected from states that share an ideological identity, moderates are elected from one of two constituencies: states that have a partisan lean to one party but haveenough "swing voters" to vote in a moderate from the opposite party, or states that are nearly evenly divided in terms of partisanship. Using unique interview data with legislative directors, retired United States Senators, and data compiled from the Congressional Record, Chaturvedi shows that, because of their precarious electoral circumstances, moderate senators must avoid active participation on bills and pushing controversial legislation. Lawmaking is much more variable and less moderating than previous theories assumed, as the process relies less on the work of moderates and more on party leaders. The book alsodemonstrates that mainstream concerns about polarization and its negative effects of increased gridlock and ideological legislation are true.

In this timely and compelling book, Chaturvedi challenges the conventional wisdom about centrists, arguing instead that they are often more likely than other senators to be caught in an ideological crossfire among different electorally important actors and thus prefer to keep their heads down during important legislative fights. He offers substantial and detailed evidence to support this argument and to flesh out in detail how legislative and electoral considerations intertwine to affect centrists' calculations. This book is an important addition to our understanding of congressional decision making and is especially relevant to current legislative battles; it will be of great interest to anyone who wants to better understand why and how Congress decides whether to enact major policies., Life in the Middle is a masterful book that questions our understanding of the role of moderates in the U.S. Senate. This is a must-read that sheds important light on who moderates are, what makes them tick, and how and whether they carry influence in the chamber. In an era of increasing political polarization, Chaturvedi's probing interviews and data help us better understand the role that Senate moderates play in Washington., Life in the Middle describes the delicate, tricky, and precarious lives of middle-of-the-road-senators. What Chaturvedi shows is that being a 'moderate' is not what is typically described in journalist accounts. His deep dive into their electoral histories, legislative actions, and strategic position-taking demonstrates that they are in a constant attempt to simultaneously appease their constituents, their parties, and their own preferences, which is no easy feat. This book is required reading for anyone that wants to understand how the Senate operates.

Neilan S. Chaturvedi is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. His research has been published in Legislative Studies Quarterly, American Politics Review, and the Journal of Elections, Public Opinion, and Parties among many others. His research and teaching interests focus on the American Congress and Presidency, race and ethnic politics, elections, and publicopinion.