Investigating the Impact of Partisan Campaign Spending on the Role of State Attorneys
Client
The Changing Role of State Attorneys General
Faculty
Aram Hur
Team
Dahlia Darwiche, Christopher Echeverría, Rachel Wise
| As partisanship and political gridlock have increased in America, many state attorneys general (AGs) have become engaged with the national political landscape. This is a shift from the traditional AG role of chief law enforcement officer. A Capstone team investigated this change and hypothesized that the shift might be related to increased partisan donations in state elections. The team analyzed data on campaign donations and state AG races between 2006 and 2014 and employed a difieren се-in- differences design around the 2010 change in campaign finance regulations resulting from the Citizens United vs. FEC ruling. The team found significant changes and patterns in the campaign finance landscape for state AG races after the regulation changes. These findings may help policymakers better understand the state AG as a new, nontraditional player in the partisan policy arena. |
Capstone Course
Focus Areas
Capstone Year
2017-2018