Liam Bethlendy

I study American politics with a focus on political institutions, representation, and elections, especially in Congress and the Senate. My research combines formal theory with quantitative and historical methods to understand how partisan competition shapes whom politicians represent and the institutions that constrain political power.

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 (Under Review)

• Vocal Extremists (Under Review)

Work in Progress:

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

• Polarization and Institutional Erosion

• Who Nationalized American Elections?

• Scaling Challengers