Votes & Taxes: The Political Economy of the American Governorship

Conventional wisdom told us that state governors and political parties that advocated tax increases would risk unpopularity and electoral defeat. But researchers asserted that this was not necessarily the case. Examining data for the period from 1950 to 1980 and employing a different measure of "tax activity," Professor Eismeier finds that for governors, gubernatorial candidates, and state parties that urge higher taxes the risks of defeat are indeed greater. But, while greater, the risks are not overwhelming in all cases. There is more to electoral success than one's position on taxes.