The Financiers of Congressional Elections: Investors, Ideologues, and Intimates

Peter Francia; John Green; Paul Herrnson; Lynda Powell; Clyde Wilcox

Published by Columbia University Press 2003

The Financiers of Congressional Elections

Investors, Ideologues, and Intimates

Peter Francia , John Green , Paul Herrnson , Lynda Powell and Clyde Wilcox

In the series Power, Conflict, and Democracy: American Politics Into the 21st Century

https://doi.org/10.7312/fran11618

Overview
Contents

About this book

Individual donors play a critical role in financing congressional elections, accounting for more than half of all money raised in House campaigns. But significant donors (defined here as those contributing more than $200) are the least understood participants in the system. who really contributes and why? How much and to how many candidates? What are the strategies used by political campaigns to elicit contributions and how do the views of significant donors impact the campaign-finance system? What do donors think about campaign-finance reform? This book investigates these vital questions, describing the influence of congressional financiers in American politics.

Individual donors play a critical role in financing congressional elections, accounting for more than half of all money raised in House campaigns. But significant donors (defined here as those contributing more than $200) are the least understood participants in the system. Defenders assert that contributing money to campaigns is part of a broader pattern of civic involvement and is free speech that gives a voice to various interests. Detractors argue that these contributions are undemocratic, enabling wealthy citizens to overwhelm the voices of the many and to promote narrow business and policy interests. These divergent assessments were raised in connection with the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 and continue to characterize the debate over campaign finance reform.

So who really contributes and why? How much and to how many candidates? What are the strategies used by political campaigns to elicit contributions and how do the views of significant donors impact the campaign-finance system? What do donors think about campaign-finance reform? This book investigates these vital questions, describing the influence of congressional financiers in American politics.

Author / Editor information

Peter L. Francia is a research fellow and program coordinator at the Center for American Politics and Citizenship at the University of Maryland. He is the author of the forthcoming book, The Future of Organized Lbor in American Politics. John C. Green is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. He is the editor of Financing the 1996 Election, and coeditor of The State of the Parties. Paul S. Herrnson is director of the Center for American Politics and Citizenship and professor of government and politics at the University of Maryland. He s the author of Congressional Elections: Campaigning at Home and in Washington. Lynda W. Powell is a professor of political science at the University of Rochester and coauthor of Serious Money: Fundraising and Contributing in Presidential Nomination Campaigns.. Clyde Wilcox is a professor of government at Georgetown University. He is the author of numerous books and articles on campaign finance, religion and politics, and gender politics.

Reviews

Shelly Conroy:
The Financiers of Congressional Elections is a good read for anyone interested in understanding individual donors.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Preface Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	vii
1. Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2. Who Are the Financiers of Congressional Elections? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	18
3. What Motivates Donors? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	42
4. Candidates, Donors, and Fundraising Techniques Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	69
5. The Contribution Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	99
6. The Donors Contact Congress Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	122
7. Congressional Donors and Campaign Reform Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	140
8. Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	157
Appendix: Methodology Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	165
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	185
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	201
Backmatter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	207

Language: English
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 216

eBook

Published: November 26, 2003
ISBN: 9780231513029