The political economy of gubernatorial elections: Implications for education policy

This article examines the impact of gubernatorial turnover on education policy initiatives in Florida, New York, and Texas. Within the past decade, each of these states was led by a Democratic governor followed by a Republican successor Has partisan turnover in the governorship substantially changed the nature, scope, and direction of education reform initiatives? Does it matter whether the governor is a Democrat or a Republican? After reviewing the political writings, campaigns, and actions of governors in each state, the author identifies several national and state-level forces-the economy, state constitutional constraints, an emerging elite ideological consensus, and the necessity to drive toward the conservative middle-that have created conditions in which partisan gubernatorial control matters less than previous research suggests.