Governors and Partisan Polarization in the Federal Arena

Jennifer M. Jensen

Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 2017, vol. 47, issue 3, 314-341

Abstract: Governors have always had to balance state interests with political party interests. However, governors’ role in the federal arena, which historically has had a significant bipartisan element, has shifted somewhat, today placing a greater emphasis on party interests. This change is one of the degree; it is less a sea change than a change in the salinity of the sea. I provide evidence of this move to more partisan behavior and explore two sets of interrelated factors that have influenced this change: party polarization in Congress and state legislatures and among voters, and the structure, activities and influence of the National Governors Association, Democratic Governors Association, and Republican Governors Association. This article represents an initial effort to tease out some of the varied causal effects and establish a framework for scholars to further explore the dual gubernatorial responsibilities of advancing state interests and party interests.

Date: 2017
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