Agricultural Comparative Advantage and Legislators' Support for Trade Agreements

Does comparative advantage explain legislators’ support for trade liberalization? We use data on potential crop yields as determined by weather and soil characteristics to derive a new plausibly exogenous measure of in agriculture each district the United States. Evidence shows that predicts how legislators vote ratification preferential agreements Congress. show districts with high agricultural are more likely mention good House floor debates preceding roll call votes their ratifications. Individuals living same also free trade. Our analysis results contribute literature political economy its distributional consequences our understanding economic determinants voting decisions.