Explaining Governors' Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

Leonardo Baccini () and Abel Brodeur
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Leonardo Baccini: McGill University

No 13137, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: What is the response of US governors to the COVID-19 pandemic? In this research note, we explore the determinants of implementing stay-at-home orders, focusing on governors' characteristics. In our most conservative estimate, being a Democratic governor increases the probability of implementing a stay-at-home order by more than 50 percent. Moreover, we find that the probability of implementing a statewide stay-at-home order is about 40 percent more likely for governors without a term limit than governors with a term limit. We also find that Democratic governors and governors without a term limit are significantly faster to adopt statewide orders than Republican governors and governors with a term limit. There is evidence of politics as usual in these unusual times.

Keywords: COVID-19; pandemic; ideology; governors; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H51 I15 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 12 pages
Date: 2020-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-pol
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (22)

Published - published in: American Politics Research, 2021, 49 (2), 215-220

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Working Paper: Explaining Governors’ Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States (2020)
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