This is a book about the practice of political representation in Congress – the activities representatives undertake on behalf of their constituents. Part of this representation occurs in Washington. There, legislators craft legislation, cast roll-call votes, secure money for their district, and advocate for constituents.

But representation also occurs outside Congress. There, representatives actively engage their constituents. To do this, legislators present and explain their work, informing constituents about what actions their representative undertook and why the representative undertook them. Representatives hold press conferences, issue statements to reporters, and argue with pundits on cable news. Legislators' staff spend hours crafting speeches, writing press releases, circulating newsletters, and responding to constituent letters. At home and among constituents, members of Congress conduct town hall meetings, give stump speeches, and participate in live interviews with local reporters.

I will show that the representation that occurs outside Congress fundamentally affects how constituents evaluate the representation that occurs inside Congress. To affect this evaluation, legislators strategically adopt presentational styles – how representatives present and explain their work to constituents. The goal of legislators when they articulate presentational styles is to affect constituents' impressions of their representatives' representational style: the work legislators perform across a wide array of politically relevant activities in Congress. To affect this impression, legislators emphasize activities that are likely to cultivate support among constituents, subtly shifting what constituents expect of their member of Congress.