Red State Institutions Are As Left-Wing As Their Blue Counterparts

A new report from the State Leadership Initiative (SLI) reveals that many Republican-run states exhibit similar bureaucratic and cultural characteristics as their Democratic counterparts. The report, obtained by The Federalist, suggests that despite political differences, the governance in red states often operates within a left-wing framework.

SLI’s 2025 State Leadership Index highlights that red states face issues such as bureaucratic inefficiency and economic stagnation, similar to those in blue states. “State Leadership Initiative was founded to get Red States to live up to the campaign promises their elected officials made to their citizens,” said SLI Founder Noah Wall. He emphasized that the report serves as a call to action for red states to improve governance beyond merely having lower taxes than blue states.

The index evaluates states based on governance effectiveness, economic vitality, and cultural strength. It found that seven of the ten most federally dependent states are red, with federal funding making up nearly 40% of state budgets in places like Mississippi and West Virginia. The report critiques this dependency as a form of “soft capture” rather than true state sovereignty.

In terms of governance, the report noted that many red states have a high number of public school and university bureaucrats, indicating a significant overlap with blue states in terms of bureaucratic structure. Additionally, the index found that overregulation is prevalent in red states, with little difference in the average number of regulations compared to blue states.

Culturally, while red states may have higher marriage rates and fertility, the report pointed out that fewer than half of teenagers in many red states are raised in intact families. “Family stability is disintegrating, and no amount of higher fertility can compensate for a culture where children grow up without both parents,” the index states.

SLI also identified high violent crime rates and housing affordability issues as ongoing challenges in several red states. The report concludes with recommendations for Republican lawmakers, including downsizing bureaucracies and implementing mandatory sunset provisions for state programs.

“For years, conservatives kept their eyes on Washington, missing the quiet decay in their own state governments,” said SLI Senior Economic Strategist Thomas Murray. He noted that the bureaucracies in red states often do not reflect the values of their voters, who generally support limited government. The index aims to highlight these discrepancies and encourage action among Republican leaders.