Class Connections: Congressional Classes and the Republicans of 1994
- Rae, Nicol C. [ Montana State University: Political Science ]
- Pitney, John J. Jr. [ Department of Government, Claremont McKenna College ]
Large partisan classes in the House of Representatives are, in important ways, products of the congressional politics of preceding years. The class of 1994 is an example: understanding its origins requires a look at previous classes, especially the often-overlooked class of 1978. The class of 1994 did have a major impact on American politics, but as the fresh-faced outsiders became insiders, their power waned and their personal fortunes darkened.