Jennifer Wolak

Partisanship and Support for Devolving Concrete Policy Decisions to the States - Political Behavior Do people think that some policies should be handled by the states, rather than the national government? In an era characterized by stark party polarization there is reason to suspect that attitudes regarding federalism are shaped by partisan considerations. Specifically, reported support for devolution may be driven by exposure to elite partisan cues and partisan reasoning tied to which political party devolution would empower. Using data from the 2022 Cooperative Election Study, we find that partisans tend to differ—often substantially—in their support for state-level decision-making regarding concrete policy proposals. However, these differences are largely driven by those who are most likely to be exposed to elite cues. We also find that, among both Democrats and Republicans, support for policy devolution is contingent on which party controls the state legislature in an individual’s state. The findings suggest that partisanship plays a central role in shaping what the public says when asked about which level of government should determine whether to implement specific policy proposals.

Is support for “states’ rights” really about federalism, or partisanship? Doherty, Touchton & Lyons show views on devolving policy to states hinge on elite cues & which party controls the legislature. #AmericanPolitics
Read more:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Even though most Americans think the country is on the wrong track, they still wish for leaders who are willing to make compromises.

People are twice as like to say they prefer leaders who make compromises over those who stick to their beliefs.

via Gallup news.gallup.com/poll/695690/...

We argue that people fill out their ballots differently when they can do so leisurely at home: taking more time, doing research when unsure, and asking friends for advice.

The Effects of Voting by Mail on Correct Voting - Political Behavior The share of Americans voting by mail surged in 2020. For those casting a mail-in ballot, their voting experience was different from those who voted in-person. When voting by mail, people can make the...

Just out at @polbehavior.bsky.social w/Carey Stapleton:

Voting by mail has the upside of boosting correct voting.

When people vote by mail rather than in-person, they are more likely to choose the presidential candidate best aligned with their preferences.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

The greatest support for allowing state secession is from people who favor a model of limited government.

Support for secession is unrelated to party or strength of partisanship.

People who feel strong attachments to the state where they live are no more likely to endorse state secession.

Public Support for State Secession in the United States Abstract. Do Americans believe that states should be allowed to secede from the union? Using survey responses to a module of the 2020 Cooperative Election

Just out in Publius with Bailey Oates: academic.oup.com/publius/adva...

We consider public opinion on whether states should be allowed to secede from the U.S.

Most people reject the idea.

Opposition is tied to people's commitments to democratic principles + strength of national identity.

Everyday Democracy How the everyday habits and attitudes of ordinary liberals and conservatives shape the health of American democracy. In Everyday Democracy, Jeffrey M. Berry, James M. Glaser, and Deborah J. Schildkrau...

Available for preorder! My forthcoming book with Jeff Berry and Jim Glaser. Everyday Democracy: Liberals, Conservatives, and their Routine Political Lives. from @uchicagopress.bsky.social
press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...

Compromise in an Age of Party Polarization Compromise in an Age of Party Polarization [Wolak, Jennifer] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Compromise in an Age of Party Polarization

I don't know if it is part of Amazon's book sale or a reflection of the current state of politics...

but you can pick up a copy of my book on compromise for a cool $7 on Amazon right now.

www.amazon.com/dp/0197510507

In a paper at SPPQ, I show the political consequences of feelings of state pride.

doi.org/10.1017/spq....

When people feel proud of the state where they live, they express greater support for state government spending and a stronger desire to devolve policy-making authority to the states.

61% of Americans believe that polarization is mostly driven by political and social elites

Americans widely agree that the problems of polarization are rooted in elites, not the public.

I don't know if Michiganders hate Ohio so much as just judge its choices.

In case you weren't already sure, we have scientific evidence that January is the worst month.

A majority of Americans still want leaders who are willing to make compromises.

Book contract signed! In "Liberals, Conservatives, and Everyday Democracy," we (me, Jeff Berry, Jim Glaser) examine several attitudes and behaviors we consider important for day-to-day political life. How do Americans do? Do libs/cons differ? If so, why? Due out in fall 2025 from U Chicago Press!

The Politics of Progress and Privilege: How America’s Gender Gap Is Reshaping the 2024 Election New polling by the Survey Center on American Life provides context for how gender divisions might impact the results of the 2024 Presidential election.

www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the...

Harris voters: We don't do enough to help girls and boys succeed.

Trump voters: We don't do enough to help boys succeed.

In surveys, I find that most Americans do not think that states should be allowed to block enforcement of national laws they disagree with.

But in experiments, people do not seem to evaluate state laws differently when they are framed as efforts to obstruct national laws.

Public Support for State Challenges to National Laws - Jennifer Wolak, 2024 State governments are increasingly challenging the national government and pursuing state rules in opposition to national laws. I am interested in whether the p...

States are increasingly pushing back against national laws.

How do people see this kind of uncooperative federalism?

Now up @ Political Research Quarterly: I find people oppose state challenges to national laws in principle, but tolerate them in practice.

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Cool stuff!

More examples of specific compromises here:
global.oup.com/academic/pro...

This job ad is still open!

I love sharing research ideas with you

Opinion | The dark side of active citizenship A revealing new study suggests that those civics lessons about the importance of an engaged citizenry didn’t quite anticipate today’s polarized politics.

It has a new title now, but love the original title:
"The most exciting idea in politics is indifference."

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

Those who feel self-assured about their political abilities are more likely to admit severing social ties with those who disagree with them and are more tolerant of discrimination against partisan opponents
academic.oup.com/poq/advance-...

This looks like a remarkable resource for the state politics and lobbying communities!

just out with Carey Stapleton at Public Opinion Quarterly:
doi.org/10.1093/poq/...

Those with high political self-confidence express more partisan animus and greater support for out-party discrimination.

High levels of personal self-esteem, however, predict an intolerance of out-party hostility.

The Politics of Race, Immigration, and Ethnicity Consortium at Michigan State University Dear Scholars of Race, Ethnic, and State Politics, The Minority Politics Lab in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University is pleased to announce that we will be hosting a meetin...

Join us at Michigan State on Friday, May 10 for PRIEC and share your work on race, ethnicity, and immigration!

Deadline to apply is this Friday, March 22.

We are planning a small honorarium to grad student presenters to help defray some travel costs.
 
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Democrats own more sporks than Republicans.

New paper by @shreevallabha.bsky.social & co: Blaming current groups for their ancestors atrocities (historical blame) is something that happens AND is not well accounted for by existing psychological models of blame

🔒 psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-...
🔐 osf.io/j3vp9

🚨It's finally out AND #OpenAccess!!!

Do you do survey experiments? This article is for you! 7 things that increase the risk of null/non-significant results & how to detect/prevent them. It's one of my fav things I've ever written so I hope you enjoy ☺️ polisky

cup.org/3OQhKNv