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Do Political Leaders Impact Economic Freedom at the Local Level? Evidence from Close Elections

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  • Zach Raff
  • Andrew Swanson
  • Danielle Zanzalari

Abstract

This paper examines whether state and local political leaders’ partisan affiliations affect economic freedom at the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) level. Because political leaders’ partisan affiliations likely correlate with unobserved state- and local-level characteristics that also affect the economic freedom levels of MSAs, we use a regression discontinuity design that leverages close elections as natural experiments to identify a causal effect. Using Stansel (2019)’s index, which aggregates a bundle of policies into a single measure of economic freedom, we find that close Republican majorities in the lower State House increase overall MSA-level economic freedom. This effect is realized through consistent governments (i.e., Republican governor and Republican State House majority) and primarily through changes in labor market policy. At the city level, Republican mayors also increase overall MSA-level economic freedom levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Zach Raff & Andrew Swanson & Danielle Zanzalari, 2024. "Do Political Leaders Impact Economic Freedom at the Local Level? Evidence from Close Elections," Public Finance Review, , vol. 52(5), pages 610-642, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:52:y:2024:i:5:p:610-642
    DOI: 10.1177/10911421231225779
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Christian Bjørnskov & Niklas Potrafke, 2013. "The size and scope of government in the US states: does party ideology matter?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 20(4), pages 687-714, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Donald J. Lacombe & Timothy Shaughnessy, 2025. "Economic Freedom and Presidential Elections: A Bayesian Spatial Probit Hierarchical Modeling Approach," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 84(3), pages 497-502, May.

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