A Divided-Government-Based Explanation for the Decline in Resignations from the US Senate,1834-1996

Abstract

We note the declining number of US Senate resignations that have occurred from 1834 through to 1996. While certainly this trend is related to the rise of careerism in Congress, we analyze it from the perspective of divided government (where the channels of power are shared by both parties). The results of our analysis show that most of the resignations that do occur happen when the party of the outgoing senator will retain the seat being vacated. We link the declining number of resignations to an increase in a specific instance of divided government: namely, divided partisan control of one or both Senate seats relative to the body that fills Senate vacancies in the event of a resignation. The desire on the part of senators to resign only when their party will remain in control has remained constant over time, but the proportion of senators who could resign with this assurance has decreased.

Keywords

divided government resignations US Congress US Senate

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