Liam Bethlendy

I study American politics and formal theory with a focus on how polarization affects democracy and representation in the U.S. Congress. My research combines formal theory with quantitative and historical methods to understand why American politics appears increasingly dysfunctional. 

I am a PhD Candidate in the Department of Political Science at Stanford University and am on the academic job market in the fall of 2026. I am advised by Professors Avi Acharya (co-chair), Brandice Canes-Wrone (co-chair), Justin Grimmer, and Ken Shotts. Before my time at Stanford, I went to the University of Rochester, where I completed a B.A. in Political Science.

A copy of my CV is available here.

Email: lbethlen@stanford.edu 

Working Papers:

• The Quality of Bipartisan Legislation Legislative Studies Quarterly 2025.

• The Durability of the Filibuster

• Vocal Extremists

• Partisan Favoritism in Public Spending: Evidence from Congressional Earmarks (with Alicia R. Chen and Andrew C.W. Myers)

Work in Progress:

• Polarization and Institutional Erosion

• Who Nationalized American Elections?

• Predicting Challengers