Legislative Elections and the Importance of Money

Gierzynski, Anthony; Breaux, David A.

doi:10.2307/440248

Cited by 30 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…NOTES 1. Given the low levels of media market congruence (Gierzynski and Breaux 1996) and corresponding media attention to state legislative races (Layton and Walton 1998), gender may play an important role in the outcome of these elections.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Candidate Gender and Voter Support in State Legislative Elections

Hogan

2010

Journal of Women, Politics & Policy

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To what extent does candidate gender influence voter support in state legislative elections? This question is addressed in a candidate-level analysis of campaigns involving men and women in 20 states in the 1990s. The findings demonstrate some statistically significant differences by gender-women actually receive a higher percentage of the vote, although these effects are insufficiently large to influence their likelihood of winning. Additional analyses consider characteristics of districts and states that increase or dampen support for women. For example, women receive a greater vote percentage in districts where education levels are higher and where there is a larger proportion of African Americans. Overall, the major conclusion to emerge is that women have a slight edge over men in gaining voter support, but factors such as candidacy status, partisanship of the district, and campaign spending have a much stronger influence on election outcomes.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Candidate Gender and Voter Support in State Legislative Elections

Hogan

2010

Journal of Women, Politics & Policy

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“…In the single best study on the varying impact of campaign expenditures in state legislative elections, Gierzynski and Breaux (1996) uncover significant evidence of the conditional effects of a number of district-level contextual and conversion factors. However, there remains much empirical research to be done in identifying what other factors may play a similar role, and the dearth of additional inquiry in this area has left a number of unanswered questions about the role of money under different electoral conditions and institutional arrangements.…”

Section: A Conditional Theory Of State Legislative Election Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Money and State Legislative Elections: The Conditional Impact of Political Context

Seabrook

2010

American Politics Research

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This study builds on existing literature demonstrating the conditional effects of contextual and conversion factors on the relationship between money and votes in state legislative elections. A conditional theory of the impact of spending in state legislative campaigns is developed, emphasizing that the effectiveness of expenditures should vary according to the number of "up for grabs" voters in a district, candidate quality, and strategic decisions about when to enter a race. Using an original data set of elections to state legislatures in nine states, the analysis provides evidence that the political and institutional context of a race has a significant impact on the effectiveness of campaign spending. Specifically, the percentage of registered independents in a district, the presence or absence of term limits on legislators, and the level of professionalism of a legislature each significantly condition the impact of money.

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“…News coverage of state legislative campaigns is small compared to coverage of statewide and congressional campaigns. This is due in part to the low level of congruence between most broadcast media markets and state legislative districts (Gierzynski & Breaux, 1996). This low level of congruence also means that state legislative campaigns use broadcast media less frequently than more targeted forms of advertising, such as mailings, yard signs, and door-to-door canvassing.…”

Section: Identifying the Effects Of Divisive Primariesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects Of Primary Divisiveness On General Election Outcomes In State Legislative Elections

Hogan

2003

American Politics Research

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Does a divisive primary contest harm a candidate's chances in the general election? This question is addressed in an analysis of legislative campaigns in nine states during the 1994 and 1996 election cycles. Findings indicate that primary divisiveness does affect general election outcomes but in the opposite direction than anticipated. Greater divisiveness in a candidate's primary leads to a higher vote share in the general election. Similarly, greater divisiveness in a general election opponent's primary leads to a candidate receiving a lower vote share. Simply the presence of a primary challenge is found to exert a substantial positive influence for a candidate in the general election, particularly in open seat contests. Such counterintuitive results are attributed to the low levels of information that voters typically possess about state legislative primaries and to the strategic decisions of candidates who seek legislative office.

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Legislative Elections and the Importance of Money

Cited by 30 publications

References 19 publications

Candidate Gender and Voter Support in State Legislative Elections

Candidate Gender and Voter Support in State Legislative Elections

Money and State Legislative Elections: The Conditional Impact of Political Context

The Effects Of Primary Divisiveness On General Election Outcomes In State Legislative Elections

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