Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy > Vol 2 > Issue 1

Essential or Expedient? COVID-19 and Business Closures in the U.S. States

Jesse M. Crosson, Trinity University, Department of Political Science and Program on Urban Studies, USA, jcrosson@trinity.edu , Srinivas C. Parinandi, University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Political Science, USA, srinivas.parinandi@colorado.edu
 
Suggested Citation
Jesse M. Crosson and Srinivas C. Parinandi (2021), "Essential or Expedient? COVID-19 and Business Closures in the U.S. States", Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy: Vol. 2: No. 1, pp 81-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/113.00000031

Publication Date: 11 Mar 2021
© 2021 J. M. Crosson and S. C. Parinandi
 
Subjects
Campaign finance,  Federalism,  Political economy
 
Keywords
Campaign financeCOVID-19federalismpolitical economybusiness and politics
 

Share

Login to download a free copy
In this article:
Introduction 
Interest Groups, Political Money, and Protective Rent-Seeking 
Data 
Results 
Conclusion 
Appendix 
References 

Abstract

To what extent has political pressure or connectedness influenced governors' responses to public health recommendations regarding business closures? We investigate whether campaign contributions from particular industries track governors' designations of those industries as "essential" during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzing the initial iteration of states' lockdown orders, we find preliminary evidence linking receipt of gubernatorial campaign contributions from industry to an increased likelihood of designating that business area as essential. In other words, governors are more likely to designate a business area as essential if they received campaign contributions from that business area. Our result preliminarily suggests that money in politics plays a role in shaping public health responses, and we recommend further research on this matter.

DOI:10.1561/113.00000031

Companion

Journal of Political Institutions and Political Economy, Volume 2, Issue 1 Special issue - The Political Economy of Pandemics, Part II
See the other articles that are part of this special issue.