Gender Differences in Politician Persistence

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Wasserman, Melanie
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California Los Angeles
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6535
• DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_01099
• 发表日期: 2023-03
• 页码: 275-291
• 关键词: policy experiment; sex-differences; women; COMPETITION; leadership; selection; election; house

摘要

This paper documents gender differences in the career paths of novice politicians. Using trajectories of over 11,000 candidates for California local offices and a regression discontinuity approach, I investigate the persistence of candidates after they win or lose elections. Losing an election causes over 50% more attrition among female than male candidates. Yet the gender gap in persistence depends on the setting: there is a smaller gap among candidates for high female representation offices and among candidates with prior elective experience. I discuss how the expected costs and benefits of running again potentially explain the gender gap in persistence.