Replication Data for: A Validation and Extension of State-Level Public Policy Mood: 1956 to 2020

Whether we consider policies or elections in the U.S., the states are particularly influential. To understand these political outcomes, we need valid over-time measures of state-level public opinion. In this article, we contribute to the growing research on measuring state public opinion in two ways. First, we respond to Berry, Fording, Hanson, and Crofoot's (BFHC) critique of Enns and Koch's measure of state policy mood. We show that when BFHC's analysis is done correctly, it actually validates the Enns and Koch measure and raises questions about the Berry, Ringquist, Fording, and Hanson (BRFH) measure. Second, we generate a new measure of state policy mood building on Enns and Koch's approach. The new measure adds information to their Multilevel Regression and Poststratification (MRP) model, extends from 1956 to 2020, and includes data from more than 140 additional surveys that were not previously available. We show the new measure has even better properties than the previous measure and relates to state presidential vote and state policy liberalism in similar ways to Caughey and Warshaw's (2018) measure of state economic liberalism. We conclude with recommendations for applying various direct measures of state public opinion.