Underdog Politics

The Minority Party in the U.S. House of Representatives

Green Matthew N.

In the first comprehensive study of the subject in decades, political scholar Matthew Green disputes the conventional belief that the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives is an unimportant political player. Examining the record of the House minority party from 1970 to the present, and drawing from a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, Green shows how and why the minority seeks to influence legislative and political outcomes and demonstrates that the party's efforts can succeed. The result is a fascinating appreciation of what the House minority can do and why it does it, providing readers with new insights into the workings of this famously contentious legislative chamber.

About the Author

Matthew N. Green is associate professor of politics at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and associate fellow at the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies.

Reviews

"Most studies of legislative parties focus, understandably, on the majority, which has most of the power to shape the chamber and its outcomes. Green reminds us that this is only part of the story, and that history is occasionally determined by the strength and creativity of the party with fewer seats" – Seth Masket, author of "No Middle Ground: How Informal Party Organizations Control Nominations and Polarize Legislatures"

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