Governor's political affiliation and stringent COVID-19 policy

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Wang, Chan; Kim, Yushim; Mossberger, Karen
• 署名单位: Arizona State University; Arizona State University-Downtown Phoenix
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3352
• DOI: 10.1111/puar.13649
• 发表日期: 2024
• 页码: 40-55
• 关键词: american federalism; partisan polarization; state; science; CHOICE

摘要

The political affiliation of governors has been highlighted as the most important predictor of a state's aggressiveness in responding to the pandemic, that is, Democratic governors advocated for more stringent policies than their Republican counterparts. However, of the 39 states that issued a statewide stay-at-home order (SAHO) mandate, nearly half were led by Republican governors. Using a qualitative comparative analysis, we find that gubernatorial partisanship alone cannot explain SAHO mandates. If partisanship played a role at all, it did so only in states with large metropolitan areas or with fewer public health resources. Regardless of the governor's partisanship, the combination of problem severity and public health resources was sufficient to produce a stringent policy outcome. Emphasis on gubernatorial decisions as purely political overlooks material needs relevant for future pandemic response and the potential for evidence and future coordination.