How can I get to know an elected official or candidate without meeting them? They control their appearances tightly so it's hard to get a sense of what they are actually like.
Voting records for state and federal congress memebers are public records. A lot of it is going to just be along party lines, but you can tell where they've diverged (if they have). Of course, this is still somewhat controlled, but I'd say more revealing than speeches and media apperances.
I agree. They are all over social media as well and they often respond to questions. Continuing with the example of Greg Orman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorman Take everything with a grain of salt though and read from many different sources. Everything has a little bit of bias and can miss details. http://onpolitics.usatoday.com/2014/10/01/greg-orman-obama-senate-ad-kansas/ So go to lots of sources. Politicians by nature strictly control their public image. The wider diversity of stories the richer understanding you will have.
Write them a letter and see if you get a form back or something more personal. You can also go online and watch their videos. Look for interviews though, not campaign material. It is biased. Here's a good one from Greg Orman who ran for Senate in Kansas as an Independent. http://www.kwch.com/news/local-news/greg-orman-wife-sybil-sit-down-with-eyewitness-news/29109894