Rhetorical and Revealed Opposition to Compromise Among Local and State Legislators

Abstract

Policymaking in democratic governments requires compromise, yet polarized legislators face mixed incentives around compromise. These incentives also vary by gender and party, with women and Democrats facing greater pressure to express support for compromise. I investigate how legislators handle this situation by revealing both how often legislators openly report supporting compromise and legislators' willingness to oppose compromise when they can do so in secret. Drawing on original surveys of local and state legislators, I find that many legislators rhetorically support compromise but oppose compromise surreptitiously. Further, while women and Democrats are equally or more likely than men and Republicans to report supporting compromise when asked directly, this pattern reverses with women and some Democratic legislators opposing compromise more than men and Republicans when they can do so secretly. Evidence suggests this is due, in part, to women and Democrats being more likely to seek office due to policy issue motivations.