Parties as the Political Safeguards of Federalism: The Impact of Local Political Party Activity on National Elections

Abstract

A variety of scholars have theorized about the importance of political forces as safeguards of federalism. However, many of these theories have yet to be tested empirically. This study draws on data from a survey of 1,182 local party chairs in 49 states in 2010 to determine whether political parties may act as bridging mechanisms between the interests of political officials at the state and national levels. The results suggest local party activity has an impact on the election outcomes of candidates for national office, and this effect is more pronounced in state contexts that are competitive or unfavorable to the local party.