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Political Career or Party Reputational Concern?
State governors copartisan with national president are known for greater fiscal discipline than those from opposition parties.
Yet, scholars use two distinct mechanism to explain this: some argue political career concerns motivate governors' retrenchment but others that national party reputational concerns are at work.
To distinguish between these alternatives, we analyze partisan effects at the municipal level.
If those mayors aligned with state and federal executives spend less than those with only copartisan presidents, career concerns matter more than party reputations.
Yet, scholars use two distinct mechanism to explain this: some argue political career concerns motivate governors' retrenchment but others that national party reputational concerns are at work.
To distinguish between these alternatives, we analyze partisan effects at the municipal level.
If those mayors aligned with state and federal executives spend less than those with only copartisan presidents, career concerns matter more than party reputations.