Rebels and Nomads: Have White Southerners Found Sanctuary in the Republican Party?

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Phillip Ardoin Ph.D., Professor of American Political Institutions and Department Chair (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/

Abstract: During the last 30 years, the Republicans have become an interesting assortment of economic, international, and social conservatism, with each leg of the triad having more prominence at distinct times. Examining key votes throughout this period, we assess how the most recent converts to the party, those from Southern states, align with Republicans from other regions on each of these three dimensions. We also estimate the relative importance of each of the three dimensions annually during this period. Finally, we examine whether the unstable equilibrium that haunted the Congressional Democrats through the first half of the Cold War era has merely found a new resting place in the Republican Party. In order to analyze these issues, we analyze House roll call votes from 1975 - 2000 to determine how closely Southern and non- Southern Republicans are aligned. Next, we examine various issue dimensions, determining how party cohesion is affected when different sets of issues take on greater legislative importance. Our findings confirm that issue dimensions affect party cohesion and that regional differences are an important distinction when analyzing House Republicans in a modern context.

Additional Information

Publication
Vogel, R. and Ardoin, P. J. (2003) Rebels and Nomads: Have White Southerners Found Sanctuary in the Republican Party? Politics & Policy, 31(1): 130-151. Published by Blackwell Publishing (ISSN: 1747-1346). DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-1346.2003.tb00890.x
Language: English
Date: 2003

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