Flooding mailboxes with slick, self-promoting political brochures or letters would raise eyebrows and could work against a politician in North Dakota, the state's lone congressman says.

"I don't think it would go over well here," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D.

An Associated Press review of public records shows Pomeroy spent $13,215 on mailings last year to constituents.

The review of House mailings found that 64 House members had at least $100,000 in taxpayer-funded mailing expenses, while 59 lawmakers in the 435-member House spent nothing on mass mailings.

Pomeroy said some of his colleagues' "big, glossy and expensive" mailings that go beyond current legislative topics may be wasting taxpayers dollars.

Some of the more "robust" mass mailings come from urban lawmakers in larger states, said Pomeroy, who has served in the House since 1992.

Pomeroy said most of his mailings are responses to individual constituents. The only mass mailing that comes from his office is a mailing of congressional calendars to social studies teachers to use in classrooms, he said.

Pomeroy said he does not send Christmas cards via bulk mail.

He finds e-mail is an effective way of communicating with constituents at no cost to taxpayers. And he believes correspondence only goes so far in communicating a message.

The best way to keep constituents informed, "is up close and personal - that's the way we try and do it," Pomeroy said.