Motivated minority parties: an alternative explanation for low polarization in lopsided legislatures

Polarization is typically greater in legislatures in which control of the majority is closely contested. Lee (2016) argues that this is because parties engage in more partisan behavior when they are focused on gaining or retaining majority control. This study offers an alternative explanation for this phenomenon that is more consistent with the existing theory and evidence on ideology and elections. When a party holds a clear minority, it moderates with the goal of winning more seats. Party positioning across state legislatures is more consistent with the hypothesis that clear minorities moderate than the hypothesis that parties in closely contested chambers polarize.