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U.S. State Legislative Committee Assignments and Encouragement of Party Loyalty: An Exploratory Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Kristin Kanthak
Kristin Kanthak*
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
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Abstract

Although political parties in U.S. legislatures cannot compel discipline with the threat of expulsion from the legislature, they can encourage greater party loyalty by strategically bestowing benefits upon favored members. This article explores the use of plum committee assignments to encourage legislators' loyalty to their parties. I outline a theory of how party leaders can use committee assignments strategically to encourage more loyal legislative behavior. This occurs when legislative rules meet two criteria: (1) parties and their leaders can determine who serves on committees and (2) committees have real authority over policy outcomes. I test the theory using data from five state legislatures that differ on the relevant set of legislative rules, finding more party loyalty shown by legislators who receive plum committee assignments when rules meet both criteria and no effect when they do not.

Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , Fall 2009 , pp. 284 - 303
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

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