Money in Politics

Abstract

There is a disconnect between the popular understanding of the role of money in American politics and the lessons from social science research. The foundational research in this field finds that campaign spending has at best negligible impacts on election outcomes. Similarly, decades of research reveal very little evidence that campaign contributions or even lobbying has significant effects on the content of public policy. These findings are corroborated by cutting edge research on the effects of campaign finance reforms both at the federal level and in the states.

Can money buy control of Congress?

“…We’re not sure” [ 5 ]. On one side of the issue, some scholars argue that spending effects are small [ 6 , 7 ], a position summarized in the claim offered in a recent review that it “has at best negligible impacts on election outcomes” [ 8 ]. On the other side of the issue, in a different recent review, Jacobson [ 9 ] argues that scholarship “leaves no room to doubt that campaign spending matters.” Moreover, down-ballot elections may behave differently from presidential ones, with the former showing a larger effect of television advertising [ 10 ] and employing more targeted online advertising [ 11 ].…”

“…We're not sure" [5]. On one side of the issue, some scholars argue that spending effects are small [6,7], a position summarized in the claim offered in a recent review that it "has at best negligible impacts on election outcomes" [8]. On the other side of the issue, in a different recent review, Jacobson [9] argues that scholarship "leaves no room to doubt that campaign spending matters."…”