New Party or Campaign Bank Account? Explaining the Rise of State Legislative Campaign Committees

Abstract

State legislative caucus campaign committees have emerged in the 1980s as an important party adaptation in state politics. This study explores the factors associated with the existence of these new party organizations and with their levels of contributions to party candidates. To explain these phenomena, five hypotheses are investigated concerning the strength of state parties, the cost of state campaigns, the level of legislative professionalism, the degree of party competition, and the regulation of campaign contributions in states where these committees have emerged. Legislative professionalism and party competition are associated with the existence of the caucus committees. Legislative professionalization, party competition, and laws restricting campaign contributions are powerful explanations of the level of expenditure of these committees. Leadership stability and spending by the opposing party also help explain the activity of caucus campaign committees.