This study examines the differences in the number of lobbying efforts in selected categories, a sample of demand-side policies, economic and political variables, and changes in a measure of state economic health. Using OLS regression, the results indicate that two categories of lobbying efforts explain more of the variance in changes in per capita GSP than do various demand-side policies and the other variables. These results suggest that theories may indeed portray the influence of lobbying in the policy process. However, the percentage of explained variables is not as great as theories indicate and this may account for why scholars have difficulty “proving” various theories about interest groups when using empirical data.
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