Does partisanship influence environmental outcomes? Addressing this question requires more than just examining policy passage or spending.
Data & Methods Used: Toxic release dataset spanning 20 years, analyzing states and federal levels where Republicans held governorships or controlled Congress.
Key Findings: Republican officeholders do impact the environment—specifically when occupying governorships or controlling Congress. This challenges simplistic narratives about party positions.
Why It Matters for Political Science: Our analysis highlights how partisan control at specific offices (governor, House/Senate) shapes environmental policy differently than general partisanship does. The results offer nuanced insights into how the distribution of power across government levels affects our environment.
