On the Decline of Elite-Educated Republicans in Congress
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
In a published paper in Perspectives on Politics, Co-Directors Craig VoldenAlan Wiseman (Vanderbilt University), and Associate Professor Jonathan Wai, (University of Arkansas) identify a rise in educational polarization among members of the U.S. Congress mirroring the educational polarization in the American mass public. Over the past half century, the percent of Republican Representatives who attended elite educational institutions declined from 40% to 15%. In the Senate, elite education among Republicans declined from 55% to 35%, while the ranks of elite-educated Democrats rose in both chambers. These changes across the parties have mapped into observable differences in behavior and approaches towards lawmaking. The authors find that elite-educated legislators are much more liberal in their voting patterns, suggesting a link between the decline in elite-educated Republicans and ideological polarization in Congress. They also demonstrate that, in the House, elite-educated Democrats are especially effective lawmakers, but not so for elite-educated Republicans. In the Senate, the authors establish a link between the decline of elite-educated Republicans and the rise of partisan warrior Gingrich Senators. Overall, these patterns offer initial glimpses into how political elites are being drawn from different educational cohorts, representing an important transition in American governance.
To learn more, read the full report here and the Appendix here.
Image is AI-generated. Source: Freepik
