Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-hvd4g Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-13T13:14:01.581Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New Measures of Partisanship, Ideology, and Policy Mood in the American States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Thomas M. Carsey  and
Jeffrey J. Harden
Thomas M. Carsey
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Jeffrey J. Harden
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We construct measures of U.S. state partisan identification, self-reported ideology, and policy mood using data from the 2000 and 2004 National Annenberg Election Surveys (NAES) and the 2006 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES). These measures improve on existing methods for estimating state-level preferences because the surveys provide larger state samples without pooling across years. After detailing our methods for constructing the measures, we assess their validity through comparisons with measures already in use by scholars of state politics. We find that our measures correlate strongly with those created by Erikson, Wright, and McIver (1993) and Berry et al. (1998) and with measures from state-level polls. We conclude that our measures can be useful to research in state politics.

Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , Summer 2010 , pp. 136 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aggregated CBS News/New York Times national polls [electronic file] collected by Gerald C. Wright, John P. McIver, and Robert S. Erikson. http://php.indiana.edu/~wright1/cbs7603_pct.zip (January 4, 2010).Google Scholar
Berrens, Robert P., Bohara, Alok K., Jenkins-Smith, Hank, Silva, Carol, and Weimar, David L.. 2003. “The Advent of Internet Surveys for Political Research.” Political Analysis 11:1–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berry, William D., Ringquist, Evan J., Fording, Richard C., and Hanson, Russell L.. 1998. “Measuring Citizen and Government Ideology in the American States, 1960–93.” American Journal of Political Science 42:327–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berry, William D., Ringquist, Evan J., Fording, Richard C., and Hanson, Russell L.. 2007. “The Measurement and Stability of State Citizen Ideology.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7:111–32.Google Scholar
Brace, Paul, Sims-Butler, Kellie, Arceneaux, Kevin, and Johnson, Martin. 2002. “Public Opinion in the American States: New Perspectives Using National Survey Data.” American Journal of Political Science 46:173–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brace, Paul, Arceneaux, Kevin, Johnson, Martin, and Ulbig, Stacy G.. 2004. “Does State Political Ideology Change Over Time?” Political Research Quarterly 57:529–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brace, Paul, Arceneaux, Kevin, Johnson, Martin, and Ulbig, Stacy G.. 2007. “Reply to ‘The Measurement and Stability of State Citizen Ideology.‘” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7:133–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia. 2007. “Peach State Poll, Number 10.” hdl:1902.29/D-33558 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Center for Public Interest Polling/Eagleton Poll. Poll #127, September 2000. www.scc.rutgers.edu/eagleton (January 4, 2010).Google Scholar
Center for Public Interest Polling/Eagleton Poll. Poll #146, March 2004. www.scc.rutgers.edu/eagleton (January 4, 2010).Google Scholar
Center for Public Interest Polling/Eagleton Poll. Poll #158, March 2006. www.scc.rutgers.edu/eagleton (January 4, 2010).Google Scholar
Center for Survey Research, The Ohio State University. 2006. “Buckeye State Poll, August 2000.” hdl:1902.29/D-33520 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Converse, Philip. 1964. “The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics.” In Ideology and Discontent, ed., Apter, David. New York, NY: Free Press.Google Scholar
Erikson, Robert S. 1976. “The Relationship Between Public Opinion and State Policy: A New Look Based on Some Forgotten Data.” American Journal of Political Science 20:25–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erikson, Robert S., Wright, Gerald C., and McIver, John P.. 1993. Statehouse Democracy: Public Opinion and Policy in the American States. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Erikson, Robert S., Wright, Gerald C., and McIver, John P.. 2006. “Public Opinion in the States: A Quarter-Century of Change and Stability.” In Public Opinion in State Politics, ed., Cohen, Jeffrey E.. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Erikson, Robert S., Wright, Gerald C., and McIver, John P.. 2007. “Measuring the Public's Ideological Preferences in the 50 States: Responses Versus Roll Call Data.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 7:141–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Field (California) Poll, Late February-Early March 2000 [machine-readable data file]. San Francisco, CA: The Field Institute, 2000, Field (California) Poll 00–02.Google Scholar
Field (California) Poll May 2004 [machine-readable data file]. San Francisco, CA: Field Research Corporation, 2004, Field (California) Poll 04–03.Google Scholar
Field (California) Poll Mid-Late February 2006 [machine-readable data file]. San Francisco, CA: Field Research Corporation, 2006, Field (California) Poll 06–01.Google Scholar
Florida Annual Policy Survey 2000. Tallahassee, FL: Survey Research Laboratory, Florida State University. www.fsu.edu/~survey/FAPS/index.htm#Reports (January 4. 2010).Google Scholar
Florida Annual Policy Survey 2003–2004. Tallahassee, FL: Survey Research Laboratory, Florida State University. www.fsu.edu/~survey/FAPS/index.htm#Reports (January 4, 2010).Google Scholar
Gray, Virginia, Lowery, David, Fellowes, Matthew, and McAtee, Andrea. 2004. “Public Opinion, Public Policy, and Organized Interests in the American States.” Political Research Quarterly 57:411–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hill, Seth, Lo, James, Vavreck, Lynn, and Zaller, John. 2007. “The Opt-in Internet Panel: Survey Mode, Sampling Methodology and the Implications for Political Research.” University of California at Los Angeles. CCES Manuscript. http://web.mit.edu/polisci/portl/cces/material/HillLoVavreckZaller2007.pdf (May 21, 2008).Google Scholar
John Hazen White Sr. Public Opinion Laboratory, Brown University. 2000. “The Rhode Island Survey, August 2000.” hdl:1902.29/D-31567 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Kalton, Graham, and Ismael Flores-Cervantes. 2003. “Weighting Methods.” Journal of Official Statistics 19:81–97.Google Scholar
Lax, Jeffrey R., and Phillips, Justin H.. 2009. “How Should We Estimate Public Opinion in the States?” American Journal of Political Science 53:107–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levendusky, Matthew S., and Pope, Jeremy C.. 2008. “The Distribution of Economic Public Opinion in the American States.” Presented at the Eighth Annual Conference on State Politics and Policy, Philadelphia, PA, May 2008.Google Scholar
Malhotra, Neil, and Krosnick, Jon A.. 2007. “The Effect of Survey Mode and Sampling on Inferences about Political Attitudes and Behavior: Comparing the 2000 and 2004 ANES to Internet Surveys with Non-Probability Samples.” Political Analysis 15:286–323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Norrander, Barbara. 2001. “Measuring State Public Opinion with the Senate National Election Study.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 1:111–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, David K., Gelman, Andrew, and Bafumi, Joseph. 2004. “Bayesian Multilevel Estimation with Poststratification: State-Level Estimates from National Polls.” Political Analysis 12:375–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, David K., Gelman, Andrew, and Bafumi, Joseph. 2006. “State-Level Opinion from National Surveys: Poststratification Using Multilevel Logistic Regression.” In Public Opinion in State Politics, ed., Cohen, Jeffrey E.. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.Google Scholar
Parry, Janine A., Kisida, Brian, and Langley, Ronald E.. 2008. “The State of State Polls: Old Challenges, New Opportunities.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 8:198–216.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
R Development Core Team. 2008. R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. www.r-project.org (January 4, 2010).Google Scholar
Rivers, Douglas. 2006. “Sample Matching: Representative Sampling from Internet Panels.” Polimetrix White Paper Series. www.polimetrix.com/documents/Polimetrix_Whitepaper_Sample_Matching.pdf (May 21, 2008).Google Scholar
Romer, Daniel, Kenski, Kate, Winneg, Kenneth, Adasiewicz, Christopher, and Jamieson, Kathleen Hall. 2006. Capturing Campaign Dynamics 2000 & 2004: The National Annenberg Election Survey. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.Google Scholar
School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2000. “Carolina Poll Spring 2000.” hdl:1902.29/D-31485 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [Distributor].Google Scholar
School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2006–03. “Carolina Poll, Fall 2004.” hdl:1902.29/D-33439 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [Distributor].Google Scholar
Sides, John, and Citrin, Jack. 2007. “How Large the Huddled Masses? The Causes and Consequences of Public Misperceptions about Immigrant Populations.” Presented at the 2007 Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, Illinois.Google Scholar
Social Research Laboratory, Northern Arizona University. 2001. “Grand Canyon State Poll, Fall 2000.” hdl:1902.29/D-31604 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Sorens, Jason, Muedini, Fait, and Ruger, William P.. 2008. “U.S. State and Local Public Policies in 2006: A New Database.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 8:309–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
StataCorp. 2007. Stata Statistical Software: Release 10. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP.Google Scholar
Stimson, James A. 1991. Public Opinion in America: Moods, Cycles, and Swings. Boulder, CO: Westview.Google Scholar
Survey Research Center, University of Arkansas. 2004–11. “Arkansas Poll, 2000.” hdl:1902.29/D-31654 Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Survey Research Center, University of Arkansas. 2008–10. “Arkansas Poll, 2004.” hdl:1902.29/10331 UNF:3:KnUIxk+iGOsf44U3OCbRlQ Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Survey Research Center, University of Arkansas. 2008–10. “Arkansas Poll, 2006.” hdl:1902.29/10344 UNF:3:aiR5QTfKsrXmxeiSDoiN9A Odum Institute for Research in Social Science, University of North Carolina [Distributor].Google Scholar
Wright, Gerald C., Erikson, Robert S., and McIver, John P.. 1985. “Measuring State Partisanship and Ideology with Survey Data.” The Journal of Politics 47:469–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Carsey and Harden supplementary material

Dataverse

Download Carsey and Harden supplementary material(File)
File 1.1 MB