A dataset with variables about the 50 states. This dataset is used to demonstrate application of R to political analysis. See book Appendix for variable names and descriptions.
statesA data frame with 50 rows and 135 variables.
Abortion restrictions (3 category ranking)
Abortions per 1,000 women (2005)
Number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 (2008)
2012 Abortion rank (Americans United for Life)
Number of restrictions on abortion (2010)
Abortion restrictions (three tiers of number of restrictions)
Percent of population with advanced degree or higher
Alcohol consumption in gallons per capita (2007)
Percent frequently attend religious serviced (Pew)
Percent of population with college degree or higher
Battleground state in 2004?
Percent of state legislators who are black
Percent black (2004)
Percent black (2008)
Percent black (2010)
Percent voting for Bush in 2000
Percent voting for Bush in 2004
Motor vehicle fatalities (per 100,000 pop)
Motor vehicle fatalities per 100,000 pop (2007)
Cigarette tax per pack (2007)
Cigarette tax per pack: 3 categories (2007)
Cigarette tax per pack (2012)
Cigarette tax per pack: 3 categories (2012)
Packs smoked bimonthly per adult (2003)
Percent of population with college or higher
Percent mass public Conservative
Conservatism score, US House delegation (2006)
Conservatism score, US House delegation (2009)
Conservative advantage, mass public (2012)
Percent mass public conservative (2013)
Cook Index: Higher scores mean more Democratic
3 quantiles of cook_index
Federal defense expenditures per capita
Democratic advantage, mass public (2012)
Percent US House delegation Democratic (2009)
Percent HR delegation Democratic (2011)
Percent US House and Senate Democratic (2006)
Percent mass public Democratic
Percent of state legislators who are Democrats (2006)
Percent of state legislators who are Democrats (2009)
Percent state legislature Democrats (2013)
Population density (2010)
Census division (9 different regions of country)
Earmarks per capita (in dollars)
State electoral vote: McCain (2008)
State electoral vote: Obama (2008)
Obama's Electoral College vote
Romney's Electoral College vote
Billman's policy scale (4 ordinal categories)
Does state have 'most conservative' gay policies?
RECODE of gay_policy (Billman's policy scale)
Lax-Phillips opinion index
Gay rights: public support (3 categories)
Did Bush win electoral vote, 2000?
Did Bush win electoral vote, 2004?
Percent voting for Gore 2000
Percentage workforce government workers (2012)
Background checks for gun purchases per 100,000 pop (2012)
Gun dealers per 100,000 pop
Gun murder rate (2010)
Recode of gun_rank11 so higher number ranks = more gun restrictions
Brady gun rank (2011)
Recode of gun_rank11 (3 ordinal categories)
Brady gun law scale (2011)
Brady campaign rank (2008)
Number of restrictions (2008)
Brady campaign score (2008)
Percent Hispanic (2004)
Percent Hispanic (2008)
Percent Hispanic (2010)
Conservativism ranking of House of Representatives delegation (2011, American Conservative Union)
Conservativism rating of House of Representatives delegation (2011, American Conservative Union)
Liberalism ranking of House of Representatives delegation (2011, Americans for Democratic Action)
Liberalism rating of House of Representatives delegation (2011, Americans for Democratic Action)
Percent population high school education or higher
Percent mass public Independent
Percent voting for Kerry 2004
Percent mass public Liberal
Percent voting for McCain 2008
Percent mass public Moderate
Percent voting for Nader 2000
Did Obama win electoral vote, 2008?
Did Obama win the state in 2012?
Percent voting for Obama 2008
Obama vote share in 2012
Percent population over age 64
Percent public that would always permit abortion (2004 NES)
Percent population aged 18-24 (2004)
Percent population aged 18-24 (2010)
State population, 2000
State population, 2010
State population, 2010 (in 100k)
State population, 2000-2012
State population percentage, 2000-2010
Marijuana laws
Per capita income
Percent public pro-choice
Percent public pro-life
Census region (4 categories)
Percentage Catholic (2012)
Percentage high religiosity (2012)
Percent religion "A great deal of guidance"
Percentage low religiosity (2012)
Percentage Protestant (2012)
Religious observance-belief scale (Pew)
Religiosity (3 categories)
Percent mass public Republican
Romney vote share in 2012
Right to work state?
Secularism scale (Pew)
3 quantiles of secularism
Does state have influential US Senator?
Percentage of population who smoke
Southern state?
State name
Two letter postal abbreviation for state name
Percentage point change in turnout from 2000 to 2004
Percentage point change in turnout from 2004 to 2008
Percentage point change in turnout from 2008 to 2012
Turnout in 2000 presidential election
Turnout in 2004 presidential election
Unemployment rate (2004)
Percentage without health insurance (2012)
Percent workers who are union members (2004)
Percent workers who are union members (2007)
Percent workforce unionized (2010)
Percent urban population (2000)
Percent turnout of voting eligible population in 2000
Percent turnout of voting eligible population in 2004
Percent turnout of voting eligible population in 2008
Percent turnout of voting eligible population in 2012
Percent of state legislators who are women (2007)
Percent of state legislators who are women (2010)
Percent of state legislators who are women (2011)
Percent of state legislators who are women (2015)