VOTING FREE TRADE AGREEMENT UNDER DIVIDED GOVERNMENT: THE CASE OF US-COLOMBIA1

This article analyzes the impact of partisanship under divided government on the approval process of the US-Colombia-Trade Agreement (FTA). Focusing on the case of the FTA between the United States and Colombia, this study examines how partisan and ideological dimensions in the executive and legislative branches shape trade policy decision making. Drawing on existing literature, this study ex-plores the determinants of FTA approval under divided governments using indi-vidual and district-level characteristics. In this case, the findings indicate that party affiliation significantly influences members of Congress' voting behavior on FTAs, with Democrats generally being more skeptical and Republicans more supportive. The article also explores how changes in government positions and the presence of a divided government affected President Barack Obama's stance on the FTA, high-lighting the importance of republican support in Congress. Overall, this research contributes to the understanding of the relationship between divided government and FTA approval, shedding light on the role of partisanship and ideology in shap-ing US trade policy.