Politicians come in two varieties.

There are the ones who have never met a camera or a microphone they didn’t want to monopolize. They will appear at ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings with glee, eager to turn any event into a sound bite.

Then there are the ones who are loathe to speak at all.

The difference matters less than their willingness to engage.

Public office is not performance. It is representation, and representation requires communication that goes both ways.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Peters, made a public appearance in Greensburg. He was at the courthouse with Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli for an announcement of a $643,000 grant for law enforcement technology and equipment.

It was the kind of thing members of Congress do all the time. If they can take credit for money coming into their districts, they generally do — regardless of party, position or even whether they voted for it.

The announcement was routine. So was what happened next. Reschenthaler declined to answer questions from reporters — whether about the grant itself or any other topic.

There is plenty to talk about. The situation in Iran. Legislation moving through Congress. Immigration enforcement. The nation’s upcoming 250th birthday celebration.

Reschenthaler is no backbencher or junior legislator. As Republican chief deputy whip, he sits near the top of House leadership. He is a four-term congressman running for a fifth term.

All of that makes his voice important on issues affecting his community and his constituents. Yet hearing it can be surprisingly difficult. Usually, his “voice” is heard when a prepared statement is released.

This is not about reporters being frustrated over the inability to get a response. (That is frustrating, though.)

It is about speaking to the people on important topics during a year when they are meant to decide whether to send him back to Washington.

Some politicians are in perpetual campaign mode — especially House members who face elections every two years.

But the people should hear from their leaders. They deserve it all the more when those leaders are asking for votes.