Question

what influences might cause a member of the house to vote against the wishes of the people in his or her district

Answer 1

There are many influences that could potentially lead a member of the House of Representatives to vote against the wishes of the people in their district. Simply the member could think that their constituents are incorrect in their view or don't possess enough information so therefore, they decide not to vote in accordance with the views of their constituents. Another influence could be that of their political party or the elites in their party that wish for the member to vote a certain a way. Another influence could be special interest groups or lobbies that seek to sway the views of Congress Members. These are all factors that together or separately could make a member of Congress vote in opposition of their constituents views.