Expert examines disconnect between national and state leaders
Although conventional wisdom suggested that Donald Trump’s election would galvanize Republicans around key party issues like repealing the Affordable Care Act, it soon became apparent that not all GOP members were on board.
Among the schisms that occurred was between some Republican governors and GOP leaders in the White House and Congress, with some governors continuing to support at least one component of the ACA — Medicaid expansion.
For Molly Reynolds, a Brookings Institution expert in governance studies, the breaks between governors and national leaders sparked questions she’ll examine tonight in a lecture at UNLV. In “The Politics of Republican Governors,” Reynolds will explore the reasons why GOP governors have broken ranks despite the party’s hold on power at the national level.
“We are starting to unpack how much of that is due to, say, electoral motivations,” she said. “A lot of governors are term limited. When you can’t run for re-election again, does that mean you’re more willing to go out on a limb against your national party?
“And then, how much of it has to do with the power of different interest groups in the states?
“We have some evidence from when states decided whether or not to adopt the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act — even in the Republican states that we saw choose to expand, some of that was driven by powerful hospital or health care interests in the state.”
Reynolds also will discuss the outcome of conflicts between state and national Republicans, and what that might mean for the 2018 state elections.
Nevada is a fitting place for Reynolds’ presentation, as Gov. Brian Sandoval has split with Trump and congressional leadership on Medicaid expansion, immigration (see editorial at right) and other issues.
The presentation is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the first floor auditorium of UNLV’S Greenspun Hall. It is open to the public, and there is no admission charge.
Reynolds studies Congress, particularly how its rules and procedures shape policy outcomes.
She is the author of the 2017 book “Exceptions to the Rule: The Politics of Filibuster Limitations in the U.S. Senate,” and her current projects include examinations of the congressional budget process. She also oversees the long-running Brookings data resource Vital Statistics on Congress.
A former instructor at George Mason University, she holds degrees from Smith College and the University of Michigan.