University of Michigan Press The Governors' Lobbyists: Federal-State Relations Offices and Governors Associations in Washington

Product Description Today, approximately half of all American states have lobbying officesin Washington, DC, where governors are also represented by their ownnational, partisan, and regional associations. Jennifer M. Jensen’s TheGovernors’ Lobbyists draws on quantitative data, archival research, andmore than 100 in-depth interviews to detail the political development ofthis constellation of advocacy organizations since the early 20th centuryand investigate the current role of the governors’ lobbyists in the U.S.federal system.First, Jensen analyzes the critical ways in which state offices andgovernors’ associations promote their interests and, thus, complementother political safeguards of federalism. Next, she considers why, giventheir apparent power, governors engage lobbyists to serve as advocatesand why governors have created both individual state offices andseveral associations for this advocacy work. Finally, using interest grouptheory to analyze both material and political costs and benefits, Jensenaddresses the question of interest group variation: why, given the fairlyclear material benefit a state draws from having a lobbying office inWashington, doesn’t every state have one?This assessment of lobbying efforts by state governments and governorsreveals much about role and relative power of states within the U.S.federal system. Review "Jensen explores three puzzles: the federalism puzzle, the lobbying puzzle, and the proliferation puzzle. Each chapter displays Jensen's meticulous research; everything is fully researched and verified. A special contribution is her thoughts on the impact of partisanship and party polarization on the NGA's functioning." --Virginia Gray, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "Jensen's book provides a first clear look at the role of intergovernmental lobbying in Washington by the states. It is an important contribution that should be of interest to a wide range of scholars of American politics." --Beth Leech, Rutgers University "This book is an extremely valuable contribution to our understanding of the key intergovernmental organization in the U.S.--the National Governors Association. Professor Jensen provides a careful and well-documented longitudinal analysis of this important peak association representing states. She also fills an important gap by recognizing and analyzing the increasingly important roles of partisan governors' organizations." --Carol Weissert, Florida State University About the Author Jennifer M. Jensen is Associate Professor of Political Science and DeputyProvost for Academic Affairs at Lehigh University.