Degree
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science
Major(s)
Political Science; History; International Studies
Document Type
Immediate Open Access
Abstract
This study examines the factors that shape voters’ opinions on government spending for the poor in Mississippi, with particular attention to the roles of sex, race, party identification, income, and education. Drawing on pooled data from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 Mississippi Polls conducted by Dr. Steve Shaffer and the Mississippi State University Social Science Research Center, this research employs both bivariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate how social (demographic) and economic variables influence political attitudes toward poverty-related government spending.
The findings indicate that both social and economic variables play meaningful roles in shaping political preferences. Women and Black Mississippians are more likely to identify with the Democratic Party and to support increased government spending for the poor, with race demonstrating a particularly strong effect. Additionally, lower-income individuals and those with lower levels of educational attainment show higher levels of support for increased spending, suggesting that lived economic experience and structural inequality significantly influence policy preferences. However, despite the importance of these variables, the analysis ultimately reveals that party identification remains the strongest and most consistent predictor of attitudes toward government spending for the poor. Across all models, the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans exceeds the magnitude of differences associated with sex, race, income, and education. Even when controlling for these variables, variation within partisan groups remains relatively small compared to the differences between them.
These findings suggest that voters’ opinions on poverty policy in Mississippi is shaped less by individual economic position alone and more by broader partisan frameworks. While structural inequalities and demographic characteristics contribute to political attitudes, party identification serves as the primary lens through which individuals interpret issues of poverty and government intervention. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between socioeconomic status, political identity, and policy preferences in one of the most economically disadvantaged states in the United States.
Date Defended
5-1-2026
Funding Source
N/A
Thesis Director
Dr. Dallas Breen
Second Committee Member
Dr. Stephen Shaffer
Third Committee Member
Dr. Donald Shaffer
Recommended Citation
Williams, Alexandra L., "Social and Economic Identity as Predictors of Voter Support for Government Poverty Spending and Redistribution in Mississippi: A Study of Mississippi Poll Responses" (2026). Honors Theses. 213.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/honorstheses/213
Rights Statement
All Rights Reserved
