This study explores the political, institutional, and socio-demographic factors that contribute to the entry of women candidates in state legislative primaries. Using a dataset constructed from 49 partisan state legislative primary elections from 2001-2010, a binary time series cross-sectional logistic model is used to determine which factors are independently related to the probability of a woman candidate running for office. Women candidates run in districts that have a higher income, more professional people, are typically in cities with a higher urban population. Women candidates typically do not run in states with more professionalized legislatures, but are more likely to run in districts that are in session longer. Women are more likely to be present in districts where there is a lot of competition for a seat, i.e. multimember districts. The electoral environment that women face is different than men.

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Throughout the 1990's the level of trade protection have decreased across most nations and this trend has continued to this day, however many nations remain more protectionist than others. Extending work done in the United States crossnationally, this study seeks to discern what institutional arrangements lead to higher levels of protection. By looking at macroeconomic and political institutions data from 1990 to 2000, this study develops a model of trade protection that suggests that presidential systems are overall less protectionist than parliamentary systems. The 1990's are an important time period to study because this was the start of the rapid era of globalization and right before the financial problems associated with the later part of the 2000's. The data show that parliamentary systems have higher tariff rates than other systems, but this is contingent on the type of electoral system. This study also finds evidence that strong executives with lots of policy tools are able to circumvent the legislature to provide "pork" on their own.