Even in a Pandemic, Partisanship and Capacity Matter: The Effects of Partisanship and Grant Experience in the CARES Act

Abstract

The last two decades have seen significant growth in the use of stimulus granting (Cogan and Taylor, 2011; citation omitted). A key motivator is to combat economic decline and distress. But, more recently, these efforts have been to both mitigate economic downturn in addition to curtailing the more significant issue of COVID-19 sickness and death. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) passed truly out of an emergency in terms of both human and economic life. The question becomes whether current research on stimulus-oriented granting holds or does prompt grant spending amid the COVID-19 crisis play by different rules? Does partisan congruence between a state governor and president matter? Does having experience with intergovernmental grants and other measures of capacity make a difference? This study tests the factors that influence stimulus-oriented granting, what I also refer to as prompt spending, in the context of the CARES Act.