Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T01:11:03.371Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

RESEARCH ARTICLE: Hispanics and Environmental Voting in the US Congress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2011

Kerry Ard  and
Paul Mohai
Kerry Ard*
Affiliation:
School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Paul Mohai
Affiliation:
School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
*
Kerry Ard, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109; (phone) 517-775-3150; (fax) 734-369-8244; (e-mail) kerryjoy@umich.edu
Get access

Abstract

We compare the environmental voting behavior of Hispanic congressional members with those of White and African American members, seek to explain disparities in long-term voting trends, and discuss the implications for future environmental policy development. We analyzed congressional members' voting behavior from 1995 to 2006. Multivariate regression models were employed to determine what factors explain racial disparities in voting. Hispanic members were more likely than White, but less likely than African American, to vote proenvironmentally throughout the period. Results show political party increasingly explains this difference. This is because Democrats and Republicans have become increasingly polarized around environmental issues while at the same time racial disparities in party membership in Congress, largely due to increasing Hispanic membership, have also widened. Although oil-and-gas PAC contributions, region, and other variables are also significant predictors of proenvironmental voting, these variables are secondary to party. Our results add to the building evidence that racial/ethnic minorities are as supportive, if not more supportive, of environmental protection policies as their White counterparts. There has been little research on environmental voting behaviors of Hispanic congressional members. Although the number of Hispanic representatives has to date been relatively small (N = 24 in the 109th Congress), our results lend insight into the changing demographics of the Congress and how this may affect American environmental policy development in the future.

Environmental Practice 13:302–313 (2011)

Type
Features
Information
Environmental Practice , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , December 2011 , pp. 302 - 313
Copyright
Copyright © National Association of Environmental Professionals 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ABC News. 2006, March. ABC News/Stanford University/Time Magazine Environment Poll #1. Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research, Ann Arbor, MI. Available at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/studies/4658.Google Scholar
Adeola, F.O. 2004. Environmentalism and Risk Perception: Empirical Analysis of Black and White Differentials and Convergence. Society & Natural Resources 17(10):911–939.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
American Conservative Union (ACU). 2011, February. Congressional Rating 2010. ACU, Alexandria, VA. Available at conservative.org, http://www.conservative.org/congress-ratings/.Google Scholar
American FactFinder. 2000. Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3): Sample Data. US Census Bureau, Washington, DC. Available at http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=DEC&_submenuId=&_lang=en&_ts=.Google Scholar
Ash, M., and Fetter, T.R.. 2004. Who Lives on the Wrong Side of the Environmental Tracks? Evidence from the EPA's Risk Screening Environmental Indicators Model. Social Science Quarterly 85(2):441–463.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baldassare, M., and Katz, C.. 1992. The Personal Threat of Environmental Problems as Predictor of Environmental Practices. Environment & Behavior 24(5):602–616.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bendixen and Associates. 2008, April 23. National Survey of Hispanic Voters on Environmental Issues. Sierra Club, San Francisco, 7 pp. Available at http://www.sierraclub.org/ecocentro/survey/analysis.pdf.Google Scholar
Bengston, D.N., and Sanchez, J.J.. 2004. Hispanic American Views on the Stewardship of Federal Land Management Agencies: An Exploratory Analysis of the Ethnic NewsWatch Database. Paper presented at the Fourth Social Aspects and Recreation Research Symposium: Linking People to the Outdoors: Connections for Healthy Lands, People and Communities, February 4–6, San Francisco, 9 pp. Available at US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/3559.Google Scholar
Bernstein, R. 1989. Election, Representation, and Congressional Voting Behavior: The Myth of Constituency Control. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 144 pp.Google Scholar
Bullard, R.D. 2008. Equity, Unnatural Man-made Disasters, and Race: Why Environmental Justice Matters. Research in Social Problems and Public Policy 15:51–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burger, J., Myers, O., Boring, C.S., Dixon, C., Lord, C., Ramos, R., Shukla, S., and Gochfeld, M.. 2004. Perceptions of General Environmental Problems, Willingness to Expend Federal Funds on These Problems, and Concerns regarding the Los Alamos National Laboratory: Hispanics Are More Concerned Than Whites. Environmental Research 95(2):174–183.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Burger, J., Roush, D.E., Sanchez, J., Ondrof, J., Ramos, R., McMahon, M.J., and Gochfeld, M.. 2000. Attitudes and Perceptions about Ecological Resources, Hazards, and Future Land Use of People Living near the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 60(2):145–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CensusScope. 2005a. United States Hispanic Population: Percentage of Residents in a County Identifying as Hispanic. Available at Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN), http://www.censusscope.org/us/map_hispanicpop.html.Google Scholar
CensusScope. 2005b. United States African-American Population: Percentage of a County's Population Identifying as Both Black or African-American and Non-Hispanic. Available at Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN), http://www.censusscope.org/us/map_nhblack.html.Google Scholar
Center for Responsive Politics. 2008. Congressional Member, PAC Data, PACs by Economic Sector. Available at OpenSecrets.org, http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/index.php.Google Scholar
Clawson, D., Neustadtl, A., and Weller, M.. 1998. Dollars and Votes: How Campaign Contributions Subvert Democracy. Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 271 pp.Google Scholar
Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S., and Aiken, L.. 2003. Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences, vol. 1, 3rd edition. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, 703 pp.Google Scholar
CQ Press. 2008. Members by Biographical Characteristics. CQ Congress Collection. CQ Press, Washington, DC, June 6. Available at http://library.cqpress.com/congress/memberanalysis.php.Google Scholar
Crabtree, S. 2000. Hispanic Members Watch Their Political Clout Grow While It Was Once Difficult to Form a Caucus, Leadership Opportunities Now Abound for Lawmakers. Roll Call, September 11. Available at http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/lnacui2api/api/version1/getDocCui?lni=415P-N1W0-0001-S05B&csi=3624&hl=t&hv=t&hnsd=f&hns=t&hgn=t&oc=00240&perma=true.Google Scholar
Diaz, K. 2002. How Do You Say, “Vote for Me, Por Favor?” Star Tribune, October 25, p. 16A.Google Scholar
Dunlap, R.E., and Allen, M.P.. 1976. Partisan Differences on Environmental Issues: A Congressional Roll-call Analysis. Western Political Quarterly 29(3):384–397CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eilperin, J. 2000. For Women, a Crucial Role; Democratic Candidates May Help Regain Hill. Washington Post, August 15, p. A01.Google Scholar
Fleck, R.K., and Kilby, C.. 2002. Reassessing the Role of Constituency in Congressional Voting. Public Choice 112(1-2):31–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frendeis, J., and Waterman, H.. 1985. PAC Contributions and Legislative Voting Behavior: Senate Voting on Trucking Deregulation. Social Science Quarterly 66(2):401–512.Google Scholar
Froman, L.A. Jr. 1963. Inter-party Constituency Differences and Congressional Voting Behavior. American Political Science Review 57(1):57–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenberg, M.R. 2005. Concern about Environmental Pollution: How Much Difference Do Race and Ethnicity Make? A New Jersey Case Study. Environmental Health Perspectives 113(4):369–374.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hero, R. 1992. Latinos and the U.S. Political System: Two-Tiered Pluralism. Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 256 pp.Google Scholar
Howenstine, E. 1993. Market Segmentation for Recycling. Environment & Behavior 25(1):86–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, D.J., and Engel, S.T.. 2003. Don't Bite the Pac That Feeds You: Business Pac Punishment over the China Vote. American Politics Research 31(2):138–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, C.Y., Bowker, J.M., and Cordell, H.K.. 2004. Ethnic Variation in Environmental Belief and Behavior: An Examination of the New Ecological Paradigm in a Social Psychological Context. Environment & Behavior 36(2):157–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, R., and Carter, L.. 1994. Concern for the Environment among Black Americans: An Assessment of Common Assumptions. Social Science Quarterly 75(3):560–579.Google Scholar
Jones, R., and Rainey, S.A. 2006. Examining Linkages between Race, Environmental Concern, Health, and Justice in a Highly Polluted Community of Color. Journal of Black Studies 36(4):473–496.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kalof, L., Dietz, T., and Guagnano, G.. 2002. Race, Gender and Environmentalism: The Atypical Values and Beliefs of White Men. Race, Gender & Class 9(2):1–19.Google Scholar
Kandel, W., and Cromartie, J.. 2004. New Patterns of Hispanic Settlement in Rural America. Rural Develop Research Report 99. US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC, 47 pp. Available at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/rdrr99/rdrr99.pdf.Google Scholar
Kenski, H.C., and Kenski, M.C.. 1980. Partisanship, Ideology, and Constituency Differences on Environmental Issues in the U.S. House of Representatives: 1973–1978. Policy Studies Journal 9(3):325–335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luke, D.A., and Krauss, M.. 2004. Where There's Smoke There's Money: Tobacco Industry Campaign Contributions and U.S. Congressional Voting. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 27(5):363–372.Google ScholarPubMed
Lynch, B. 1993. The Garden and the Sea: U.S. Latino Environmental Discourse and Mainstream Environmentalism. Social Problems 40(1):108–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDonagh, E. 1993. Constituency Influence on House Roll-call Votes in the Progressive Era, 1913–1991. Legislative Studies Quarterly 18(2):185–210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McHugh, P. 2004. Hispanics Lend a Strong Hand to Green Issues. Chronicle Outdoors Writer, February 26, p. C9.Google Scholar
Mohai, P. 1990. Black Environmentalism. Social Science Quarterly 71(4):744–765.Google Scholar
Mohai, P. 2003. Dispelling Old Myths: African American Concern for the Environment. Environment 45(5):11–26.Google Scholar
Mohai, P. 2008. Equity and the Environmental Justice Debate. Research in Social Problems and Public Policy 15:21–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohai, P., and Bryant, B.. 1998. Is There a “Race” Effect on Concern for Environmental Quality? Public Opinion Quarterly 62(4):475–505.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohai, P., and Kershner, D.. 2002. Race and Environmental Voting in the U.S. Congress. Social Science Quarterly 83(1):167–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohai, P., and Saha, R.. 2006. Reassessing Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Environmental Justice Research. Demography 43(2):383–399.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mohai, P., and Twight, B.W.. 1987. Age and Environmentalism: An Elaboration of the Buttel Model Using National Survey Evidence. Social Science Quarterly 68(4):798–814.Google Scholar
Nelson, J.P. 2002. “Green” Voting and Ideology: LCV Scores and Roll-call Voting in the U.S. Senate, 1988–1998. Review of Economics and Statistics 84(3):518–529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noe, F., and Snow, R.. 1990. Hispanic Cultural Influence on Environmental Concern. Journal of Environmental Education 21(2):27–34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pastor, M., Morello-Frosch, R., and Sadd, J.. 2006. Breathless: Air Quality, Schools, and Environmental Justice in California. Policy Studies Journal 34(3):337–362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poole, K.T., and Rosenthal, H.. 1991. Patterns of Congressional Voting. American Journal of Political Science 35(1):228–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). 2007. Just the Facts: Latino Attitudes and the Environment. PPIC, San Francisco, 2 pp. Available at http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/jtf/JTF_LatinoAttitudesEnvironmentJTF.pdf.Google Scholar
Saltzman, G.M. 1987. Congressional Voting on Labor Issues: The Role of PACs. Industrial and Labor Relations Review 40(2):163–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schultz, W., Unipan, J., and Gamba, R.J.. 2000. Acculturation and Ecological Worldview among Latino Americans. Journal of Environmental Education 31(2):22–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shipan, C.R., and Lowry, W.R.. 2001. Environmental Policy and Party Divergence in Congress. Political Research Quarterly 54(2):245–264.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanley, H.W., and Niemi, R.G.. 2008. Table 3-10, Congressional Vote in General Elections, by Groups, 1996–2006 (percent). In Vital Statistics on American Politics 2007–2008. CQ Press, Washington, DC, 138–39. Available at http://library.cqpress.com/congress/voteanalysis.php.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stern, P., Dietz, T., and Kalof, L.. 1993. Value Orientations, Gender, and Environmental Concern. Environment & Behavior 25(5):322–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, D.E. 1989. Blacks and the Environment: Toward an Explanation of the Concerned Action Gap between Blacks and Whites. Environment & Behavior 21(2):175–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, D.E. 2000. The Rise of the Environmental Justice Paradigm. American Behavioral Scientist 43(4):508–580.Google Scholar
US Census Bureau. 2006. United States Census 2000. Washington, DC. Available at http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html.Google Scholar
US Energy Information Administration (USEIA). 2004. Top Natural Gas Producing States, 2004. USEIA, Washington, DC, 1 p. Available at http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/ng_prod_sum_a_EPG0_FGW_mmcf_a.htm [see Download Series History].Google Scholar
Uyeki, E., and Holland, L.. 2000. Diffusion of Pro-environmental Attitudes? American Behavioral Scientist 43(4):646–662.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Liere, K., and Dunlap, R.. 1980. The Social Bases of Environmental Concern: A Review of Hypotheses, Explanations and Empirical Evidence. Public Opinion Quarterly 44(2):181–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vigil, M.E. 1987. Hispanics in American Politics: The Search for Political Power. University Press of America, Lanham, MD, 158 pp.Google Scholar
Welch, S., and Hibbing, J.R.. 1984. Hispanic Representation in the U.S. Congress. Social Science Quarterly 65(2):328–335.Google Scholar
Whittaker, M., Segura, G., and Bowler, S.. 2005. Racial/Ethnic Group Attitudes towards Environmental Protection in California: Is “Environmentalism” Still a White Phenomenon? Political Research Quarterly 58(3):435–447.Google Scholar
Wright, G. 1989. Policy Voting in the US Senate: Who Is Represented? Legislative Studies Quarterly 14(4):465–486.CrossRefGoogle Scholar