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Abstract
In American politics there is a trend of progressive ambition, where lower offices become a natural stepping-stone for higher ones. Previous studies of ambition have cited an internal emergence calculus as the gauge used by politicians for deciding when to run for higher office (Abramson, Aldrich, and Rohde 1987; Rohde 1979). However, by accounting for characteristics officials hold that increase their viability, ones increasing visibility and attractiveness as a candidate, we may be able to explain unexpected cases of emergence. In addition, this dissertation improves the study of progressive ambition by increasing the scope of officeholders analyzed, including multiple levels of offices, as well as sitting and former members. Accounting for the potential for duration dependency, analysis of Binary Time-Series Cross-Section data tests the probability that an officeholder acts on his progressive ambition, while a Cox proportional hazard model determines what affects the rate of emergence. The ultimate goal of this dissertation is to improve our understanding of when and why some elected officials run for higher office.