Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T00:40:27.109Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

American Governors and their Constituents: The Relationship between Gubernatorial Personality and Public Approval

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2021

Jay Barth  and
Margaret R. Ferguson
Jay Barth
Affiliation:
Hendrix College
Margaret R. Ferguson
Affiliation:
Indiana University at Indianapolis
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Public approval is an important tool for chief executives. It helps predict their re-election success and it may translate into greater legislative and administrative policy success. Does a governor's personality influence his or her public approval? We address this question by examining the effects of three gubernatorial motives—affiliation-intimacy, achievement, and power—on public approval. We hypothesize that governors who are especially motivated by affiliation-intimacy will be more successful with the public. However, we find that governors motivated by a desire for power have greater public approval, while the affiliation-intimacy motive is unrelated to approval. Furthermore, the achievement motive is negatively related to approval in our data. We contrast these results with our earlier findings that a combination of power and achievement motives leads to gubernatorial success in the legislative arena. It appears that personality is important in determining gubernatorial success with both the public and the legislature, but in decidedly different ways.

Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , Fall 2002 , pp. 268 - 282
Copyright
Copyright © The American Political Science Association, 2002

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

Adams, Greg D., and Squire, Peverill. 1996. “A Dynamic Analysis of Gubernatorial Popularity.” Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago.Google Scholar
Allison, Paul D. 1999. Multiple Regression: A Primer. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.Google Scholar
Atkeson, Lonna Rae, and Partin, Randall W.. 1995. “Economic and Referendum Voting: A Comparison of Gubernatorial and Senatorial Elections.” American Political Science Review 89:99–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barber, James D. 1992. The Presidential Character. 4th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Bernick, E. Lee, and Wiggins, Charles W.. 1991. “Executive-Legislative Relations: The Governor's Role as Chief Legislator.” In Gubernatorial Leadership and State Policy, eds. Herzik, Eric and Brown, Brent. New York: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Beyle, Thad L. 1990. “The Powers of the Governors.” North Carolina Insight 12(2):27–45.Google Scholar
Beyle, Thad L. 1999. “The Governors.” In Politics in the American States: A Comparative Analysis, eds. Gray, Virginia, Hanson, Russell L., and Jacob, Herbert. 7th ed. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.Google Scholar
Beyle, Thad L., and Muchmore, Lynn R.. 1983. “The Governor and the Public.” In Being Governor: The View from the Office, eds. Beyle, Thad L. and Muchmore, Lynn R.. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.Google Scholar
Beyle, Thad, Niemi, Richard G., and Sigelman, Lee. 2002. “Gubernatorial, Senatorial, and State-level Presidential Job Approval: The U.S. Officials Job Approval Ratings (JAR) Collection.” State Politics and Policy Quarterly 2:215–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blair, Diane D. 1988. Arkansas Politics and Government: Do the People Rule? Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.Google Scholar
Bond, Jon R., and Fleisher, Richard. 1990. The President in the Legislative Arena. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Brace, Paul, and Hinckley, Barbara. 1991. “The Structure of Presidential Approval: Constraints Within and Across Presidents.” Journal of Politics 53:993–1017.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crew, Robert E. 1992. “Understanding Gubernatorial Behavior: A Framework for Analysis.” In Governors and Hard Times, ed. Beyle, Thad. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.Google Scholar
Cutler, Lloyd N. 1988. “Some Reflections about Divided Government.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 18:485–492.Google Scholar
Dometrius, Nelson. 1999. “Governors: Their Heritage and Future.” In American State and Local Politics: Directions for the 21st Century, eds. Weber, Ronald E. and Brace, Paul. New York: Chatham House.Google Scholar
Edwards, George C. III. 1989. At the Margins: Presidential Leadership of Congress. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Ferguson, Margaret R., and Barth, Jay. 2002. “Governors in the Legislative Arena: The Importance of Personality in Shaping Success.” University of Indiana at Indianapolis. Typescript.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fiorina, Morris P. 1981. Retrospective Voting in American National Elections. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Fiorina, Morris P. 1983. “Who is Held Responsible? Further Evidence on the Hibbing-Alford Thesis.” American Journal of Political Science 22:426–443.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fiske, Susan T., and Taylor, Shelley E.. 1991. Social Cognition. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Gross, Donald. 1991. “The Policy Role of Governors.” In Gubernatorial Leadership and State Policy, eds. Herzik, Eric and Brown, Brent. New York: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Hermann, Margaret G. 1977. The Psychological Examination of Political Leaders. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
Hermann, Margaret G. 1987. “Assessing the Foreign Policy Orientations of Sub-Saharan African Leaders.” In Role Theory and Foreign Policy Analysis, ed. Walker, Stephen G.. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.Google Scholar
Herzik, Eric, and Wiggins, Charles W.. 1989. “Governors vs. Legislatures: Vetoes, Overrides, and Policymaking in the American States.” Policy Studies Journal 17:841–862.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hibbing, John R., and Alford, John R.. 1981. “The Electoral Impact of Economic Conditions: Who Is Held Responsible?” American Journal of Political Science 25:423–439.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenney, Patrick J., and Rice, Tom W.. 1983. “Popularity and the Vote: The Gubernatorial Case.” American Politics Quarterly 11:237–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kernell, Samuel. 1978. “Explaining Presidential Popularity.” American Political Science Review 72:506–522.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiewiet, D. Roderick. 1981. “Policy Oriented Voting in Response to Economic Issues.” American Political Science Review 75:448–459.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kinder, Donald R. 1981. “Presidents, Prosperity, and Public Opinion.” Public Opinion Quarterly 45:1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kinder, Donald R., and Roderick Kiewiet, D.. 1981. “Sociotropic Politics: The American Case.” British Journal of Political Science 11:125–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kramer, Gerald H. 1971. “Short Term Fluctuations in U.S. Voting Behavior: 1896-1964.” American Political Science Review 65:131–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leyden, Kevin M., and Borelli, Stephen A.. 1995. “The Effects of State Economic Conditions on Gubernatorial Elections: Does Unified Government Make a Difference?” Political Research Quarterly 48:275–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MacKuen, Michael B., Erikson, Robert S., and Stimson, James A.. 1992. “Peasants or Bankers? The American Electorate and the U.S. Economy.” American Political Science Review 86:597–611.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Muchmore, Lynn R. 1983. “The Governor as Manager.” In Being Governor: The View from the Office, eds. Beyle, Thad L. and Muchmore, Lynn R.. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.Google Scholar
Nelson, Michael. 1998. “The Psychological Presidency.” In The Presidency and the Political System, ed. Nelson, Michael. 5th ed. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.Google Scholar
Niemi, Richard G., Stanley, Harold W., and Vogel, Ronald J.. 1995. “State Economies and State Taxes: Do Voters Hold Governors Accountable.” American Journal of Political Science 39:936–957.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ostrom, Charles W., and Simon, Dennis M.. 1985. “Promise and Performance: A Dynamic Model of Presidential Popularity.” American Political Science Review 79:334–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petracca, Mark P. 1991. “Divided Government and the Risks of Constitutional Reform.” PS: Political Science & Politics 24:634–637.Google Scholar
Pfiffner, James P. 1988. The Strategic Presidency. Chicago: Dorsey.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, Alan. 1990. Governors and Legislators: Contending Powers. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.Google Scholar
Simon, Dennis M. 1989. “Presidents, Governors, and Electoral Accountability.” Journal of Politics 51:286–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simon, Dennis, Ostrom, Charles W. Jr., and Marra, Robin F.. 1991. “The President, Referendum Voting, and Subnational Elections in the United States.” American Political Science Review 85:1177–1192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stein, Robert M. 1990. “Economic Voting for Governor and U.S. Senator: The Electoral Consequences of Federalism.” Journal of Politics 52:129–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sullivan, Terry. 1990. “Bargaining with the President: A Simple Game and New Evidence.” American Political Science Review 84:1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sundquist, James L. 1988. “Needed: A Political Theory for the New Era of Coalition Government in the United States.” Political Science Quarterly 103:613–635.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Svoboda, Craig J. 1995. “Retrospective Voting in Gubernatorial Elections: 1982-1986.” Political Research Quarterly 48:135–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, Joel A. 1987. “Agency Requests, Gubernatorial Support, and Budget Success in State Legislatures Revisited.” Journal of Politics 49:757–779.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valenty, Linda A., and Shiraev, Eric. 2001. “1996 Russian Presidential Candidates: A Content Analysis of Motivational Configuration and Conceptual/Integrative Complexity by Profiling.” In Political Leaders and the Analysis of Political Leadership: The Cross-Cultural Study of Personality and Behavior, eds. Feldman, Ofer and Valenty, Linda. Westport, CT: Greenwood.Google Scholar
Waldman, Michael. 2000. POTUS Speaks: Finding the Words that Defined the Clinton Presidency. New York: Simon & Schuster.Google Scholar
Walker, Stephen G. 1983. “The Motivational Foundations of Political Belief Systems: A Reanalysis of the Operational Code Construct.” International Studies Quarterly 27:177–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winter, David G. 1987. “Leader Appeal, Leader Performance, and the Motive Profile of Leaders and Followers: A Study of American Presidents and Elections.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 52:196–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winter, David G. 1993. “Power, Affiliation, and War: Three Tests of Motivational Model.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 65:532–545.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winter, David G. 1994. Manual for Scoring Motive Imagery in Running Text. Department of Psychology, University of Michigan. Unpublished manual.Google Scholar
Winter, David G., and Stewart, A. J.. 1977. “Content Analysis as a Method of Studying Political Leaders.” In A Psychological Examination of Political Leaders, ed. Hermann, Margaret G.. New York: Free Press.Google Scholar
Wolfe, Tom. 1998. A Man in Full. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.Google Scholar