2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase
The Stepping Stone Office: Attorneys General and State Political Career Pathways
Document Type
Student Presentation
Presentation Date
4-24-2026
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Jaclyn Kettler
Abstract
State attorneys general have grown substantially in power and prominence over the last several decades, yet they remain understudied in political science. In particular, we know little about how these offices function within state political career pathways. Our understanding of state political pipelines remains limited beyond the well-documented connection between state legislatures and Congress. This project addresses these gaps by collecting comprehensive biographical and institutional data on state attorneys general across all relevant states from 2000 to the present. Drawing on publicly available sources including Ballotpedia, the National Association of Attorneys General, state records, and wikipedia [sic]. We compile information on officeholders' prior occupations, tenure length, and subsequent electoral ambitions, alongside contextual data on each office's institutional responsibilities. We use this data to map political career pathways and assess the role attorneys generally play within them. In addition to its scholarly contributions to the study of state politics, this project will produce a publicly available dataset for use by other researchers studying American politics.
Recommended Citation
Burbank, K'Lee and Kettler, Jaclyn, "The Stepping Stone Office: Attorneys General and State Political Career Pathways" (2026). 2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase. 31.
https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/under_showcase_2026/31