Do Disabled Candidates Represent Disabled Citizens?

Abstract Whether citizens are better represented by politicians ‘like them’ has been the subject of much debate and analysis. Yet, this scholarship largely ignored 1 in 5 people who disabled experience economic, social political marginalization. Linking voter candidate data from 2015 British general election, study examines whether elites. It analyses effects disability on both preferences preference congruence. The findings reveal that candidates more supportive healthcare public spending, even within parties. At same time, views rarely congruent with positions than those non-disabled candidates, except spending. provides ground-breaking insights into role policy representation while also highlighting broader implications how descriptive–substantive link is analysed.