POLITICAL AFFILIATION AND PERCEPTIONS OF TRADE: EXAMINING SURVEY DATA FROM THE STATE OF GEORGIA

"We examine the influences of political party affiliation and self-identification as politically conservative, centrist, or liberal on individuals' trade preferences. Majority support for trade is reported for all political classifications, with Republicans found to be 13.7%-15.1% more likely than Democrats and independents to support trade. Similarly, conservatives are 14.8%-21% more likely to support trade than are centrists and liberals; however, distinctions exist between "very conservative" and "somewhat conservative" cohorts. "("JEL "F13) Copyright (c) 2008 Western Economic Association International.