The density of state interest-communities: Do regional variables matter?

To better understand state interest-group politics, this study compares two approaches to understanding the density of their interest communities. The first approach-Gray and Lowery's energy, stability, area model of density- emphasizes a small set of political and economic variables operative within each state in accounting for density. The second, of which there are sever al examples, emphasizes a regional level of analysis. The two approaches ar e evaluated as both independent and complementary accounts of state interes t-community density wing 1990 state lobby-registration data. Although some evidence of modest underspecification in the Gray and Lowery model is found , regional or spatially bared variables only have a small impact on the den sity of state interest-communities.