The Fourth Branch: How State Government Can Save Our Union

by Daniel Squadron

Genres: Politics, History, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published June 9, 2026

Reviews

[Jim Twombly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, compelling. So many personalities I know from state politics. His argument fits very well with one of my ongoing projects on federalism.

[Annotations&Air · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Once you connect what’s happening in the country‘s 50 statehouses to what’s happening across our country, you realize where real change actually starts.”

Mr. Squadron, you have motivated me to get much more involved with state politics after reading your work. I consider myself moderately educated on the functionality of government and I was blown away but how much I DIDN’T know about the flow of power from the state to the lives of everyday citizens.

This book is a clear and cohesive guide to the ways we can use the power we have, as citizens, to be more effective at improving the country we live in together. From local policy to federal, the map to making change is clear - and it can start this weekend, in your living room, with a gathering of your neighbors.

“State legislative races cost 1/10 as much as congressional races. $100,000 can change the direction of a state. In fact, it’s often cheaper to flip an entire legislative chamber then it is to flip a single congressional seat. The most competitive congressional races can cost upwards of $10 million, more than the entire state legislative campaign budgets in big states like Florida and Texas.”

Is this not mindblowing?

We are talking about policy that literally saves lives in the cases of access of health care, reproductive care and gender-affirming care.

Are there incredibly powerful interests controlling state government? Yes. Are they alone? Emphatically, no. There’s us. We are the wall, with power that’s not even begun to be tapped.

“You feel powerless in the face of scary, political currents, yet you could be the single most important force to change those currents – by flipping a state.”

This book is a handbook for the revolution.

Thank you, Daniel Squadron, Zando Projects and NetGalley for another amazing opportunity to review the important works we all need on our journey to being a better Union.

[Grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected this book to be more informational, less anecdotal. The author goes on and on about his personal career and politics, and he writes from such a leftist perspective it was distracting. His speaking voice was also too distracting and unpleasant for me listening to the audiobook.

[Joseph Montuori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I heard Daniel Squadron interviewed on WNYC radio’s The Brian Lehrer Show. As a political nerd, I was excited to learn about his thoughts on political activism at the state level. I’ve long believed that federal politics is something of a black hole. You can expend a lot of energy staying abreast of the details, contribute a few dollars, send letters to your reps, and achieve almost nothing. At the state and local level, however, individuals and grassroots organizations can make a significant difference. Not only does Squadron believe that, he’s co-founded an organization that works specifically to make that happen. The States Project strategically selects flippable state legislatures, then helps individuals work together to do the work to make it happen. As Squadron argues across 200 pages of a meandering narrative, states are the key to power in our federal system. State legislatures have their own considerable authority, and they are essential to power at the federal level. Think gerrymandering congressional districts.

So I obtained the book from my library and plowed through. Honestly, it was a slog. Based on his radio show interview, I was hoping for a tightly-argued framework for doing grassroots political work at the state level. Or at least a thorough understanding of the States Project. This book is neither of those things. It’s a sometimes tedious memoir of his inner thoughts and conversations as he worked with others in the state legislature, resigned, and eventual co-founded the States Project. I think 20-50, rather than 200 pages would have sufficed for this purpose.

Here’s a couple of sentences that made me want to stop reading altogether. “It was bullshit for a whole cow field of reasons. For one, since the campaign finance law in many states allows more types of money to be spent in coordination with campaigns than federal law allows, if an effort is working on federal campaigns and also doing state legislatures, it means they are taking dollars that state legislative candidates could use to fund their campaigns and giving them to federal IEs instead.”

Still, I persisted. I do agree with Squadron’s reasoning overall, and many of his conclusions. His major points, as I read them, were that:

* State government makes a difference
* Each of us can have more impact by working at the state than the federal level
* State power can be used to thwart or advance progressive change — it isn’t necessarily reactionary in its structure
* Today, advancing progressive change at the federal level requires accessing state power first

All good points, but again, I carefully gleaned these from 200+pages. The final chapter (10) and the Epilogue contained the core conclusion and “action guide” I was looking for. The 12-page Epilogue shares Squadron’s concise suggestions for action to take at the state level. (This is what I had assumed was the book’s purpose.) These include forming a “state action circle” to work on a specific issue; and starting a “state giving circle” to fund carefully-targeted state legislative campaigns (not necessarily your own state); or running for your own state legislature. Even this left me wanting. The explanations are brief, and for me, inadequate. Squadron’s emphasis on state over federal activism makes sense for personal and grassroots action. I’d add a qualification that work at the local as well as state levels is where an average person can have the greatest impact, and the local is likely the most impactful.

In hindsight, I wish I had searched for an article by Squadron, or simply visited the States Project website to learn a bit more. Chapter 10 and the Epilogue would have sufficed.

[Jackie McCarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an Advance Reader Copy. Written by a former NY State Senator who left elected office to run The States Project (dedicated to advancing Democratic/progressive state legislative goals), this book is a convincing exploration of how state legislatures are as important as any branch of federal government when it comes to individual rights and daily life. Squadron explores how states dominate key issues like education, infrastructure, the economy and gun control, and uses Trump's efforts to (a) overturn the 2020 election via state legislators and (b) convince sympathetic state legislatures to redraw voting districts mid-decade to underscore a conservative advantage as examples of how state legislatures can sway national political and electoral dynamics. The book provides a realistic view of the merits and detriments of state legislatures, and shines a light on the realities of "states rights" inhibiting civil rights and integration in the 20th century. The historical example of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and its decades-long efforts to encourage conservative structural advantages is fascinating, and the descriptions of state capital city cultures ring true for anyone who has ever spent time in or around state houses. In describing how the power to call a vote is a key driver of state legislative power plays, Squadron introduces readers to some colorful characters from Albany. While the story of The States Project's founding is interesting, it's a bit more niche, but the focus on campaign contributions (which go an especially long way in state legislative races, in which campaign budgets are much smaller than federal races) and giving circles seem effective. A fun and informative read for anyone interested in understanding the role of state legislatures in our current political dynamic, or for anyone looking to meet progressive despair about the federal environment with actionable political activities.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fourth Branch
How State Government Can Save Our Union
By Daniel Squadron (Available on Jun 09, 2026)
"In The Fourth Branch, co-founder of The States Project, Daniel Squadron opens readers’ eyes to the oft-overlooked arm of government that has far more power than most people even realize: state legislatures."
Here, inlies how the political sausage is made, who makes it, and how to assist in determining the recipe.
A nice primer on how to get involved in local government.
I believe that The Fourth Branch by Daniel Squadron would pair nicely with Last Brach Standing by Sarah Isgur for anyone interested in how our government works.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

[Steven Dingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! I honestly believe every single American should read this, ESPECIALLY if you’re civically engaged at any level. It’s not about the author, former New York State Senator emphasizing the importance of state legislatures to our country, it’s him explaining how impactful they have been and continue to be to our nation.

[Derek Ouyang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably niche enough that you have to be working on state government issues in some way, but if you are, there's a lot of interesting material and insight here.

[Cynthia Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.

[Michael Proper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The argument that state legislatures are worth investing in is a sound one, though this culminates in what feels like an ad for The States Project. Which whatever you do you.