Does Campaign Fundraising Affect State Legislative Productivity?
Start Date
2023 2:15 PM
Location
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 3rd floor
Abstract
Researchers have theorized that there is a relationship between campaign fundraising and legislative productivity. Studies on Congress found that while campaign fundraising does not affect an individual’s voting record, it does affect what bills these legislators introduce. Thus far, however, there has been little research analyzing this relationship at the state level. In this study, we examine whether new state legislators in the state of Ohio who raise more campaign money introduce more legislation than new legislators who raise less money. In our research, we focus on new members elected to the Ohio General Assembly in the 2014-2020 cycles. Our key variables include campaign funding raised by new members and the number of substantive bills the new members introduced in their first term in office. In our study, we control for chamber (house or senate), gender and party.
Does Campaign Fundraising Affect State Legislative Productivity?
Alter Hall Poster Session 1 - 3rd floor
Researchers have theorized that there is a relationship between campaign fundraising and legislative productivity. Studies on Congress found that while campaign fundraising does not affect an individual’s voting record, it does affect what bills these legislators introduce. Thus far, however, there has been little research analyzing this relationship at the state level. In this study, we examine whether new state legislators in the state of Ohio who raise more campaign money introduce more legislation than new legislators who raise less money. In our research, we focus on new members elected to the Ohio General Assembly in the 2014-2020 cycles. Our key variables include campaign funding raised by new members and the number of substantive bills the new members introduced in their first term in office. In our study, we control for chamber (house or senate), gender and party.
