Do higher salaries attract more working-class politicians? This article examines the relationship between political pay and economic diversity in state legislatures.

Data & Methods: Using salary records alongside self-reported income data for state legislators, researchers analyze patterns across states.

Key Findings: Contrary to reformers' expectations, higher paid states show little change or even lower working-class representation. This suggests that political pay increases may not benefit the middle and lower classes as hoped.

Implications: The results challenge assumptions about how compensation affects descriptive representation and highlight persistent barriers for working-class entry into politics despite salary reforms.

In essence, paying politicians more doesn't seem to translate directly into greater economic diversity in state government. While higher pay might attract more affluent professionals (politicians), it fails to proportionally increase the representation of lower-income citizens.