Final answer:
The highest priority for members of Congress is often the maintenance of their political careers, specifically reelection, which is achieved through a variety of activities including advertising, credit claiming, and position taking, all while managing constituent services and party demands.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the highest priority for members of Congress, a number of factors come into play. While serving their constituents, passing legislation, and promoting their party's agenda are all significant aspects of their roles, political scientist David Mayhew argues that the number one goal for politicians is to get reelected. This narrative is supported by the activities that members of Congress undertake, which include advertising, credit claiming, and position taking, all aimed at increasing their chances of reelection.
Members of Congress manage complex balances, dealing with constituents' needs, party demands, and legislative work. Constituency service is often seen as crucial, whereby representatives alter their focus from policymaking to being service-oriented to meet the complex demands for help from citizens. Incumbents have an advantage here as they have resources to assist constituents with federal matters, which can be highlighted in campaigns to appeal to local concerns, epitomized by the saying, "All politics is local."
Therefore, maintaining their political careers might seem like the dominant priority, as all their actions, including those that may appear to be constituent services or policy advocacy, are often finely tuned to secure reelection. Additionally, party politics also plays a significant role, as the majority party in Congress steers the legislative agenda, thus making the promotion of the party's agenda a key consideration for members.