Congress on cable: the relationship between legislative actions and media appearances

Is there a connection between legislating and media appearances? Mayhew (Citation1974. Congress: The electoral connection. Yale University Press) argued that members of Congress sought re-election using techniques such as position taking and credit claiming, but how these mechanisms operate through media remains an ongoing question. Using data measuring House members’ appearances across CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News from 2009–2020, negative binomial models show that introducing bills is associated with increased cable news appearances, while passing legislation is associated with decreased appearances among members with comparable rates of bill introduction. Coupled with prior evidence linking media appearances to fundraising advantages, the modern media environment creates incentives for what is deemed ‘performative seriousness:’ legislators may be inclined to elevate the comparatively simple act of bill introduction over the more challenging work of legislating.