This Small Grant for Exploratory Research undertakes a survey of candidates running for the US House of Representatives in the 1992 elections, as part of an international, comparative study including Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The survey will permit a comparative study of American, Canadian, Australian, British national legislative elections. Surveys in Britain and Australia have been fielded, while the Canadian study has been funded in anticipation of the 1993 elections. The funding will allow the investigators to field the survey and accomplish the following objectives: compare the social background, motives, and political experience of legislative candidates; analyze similarities and differences in the recruitment process to national legislatures; compare factors affecting female and minority representation; analyze the relationship between the attitudes, values and opinions of representatives and the general public; and, determine the relation between the recruitment process and the nature of representation. This study allows a comparative investigation and promises to make substantial contributions to our understanding of candidate motives, values and attitudes.
