Organized Interests and Campaign Professionals: Insights from the American States

Abstract

ABSTRACT Scholars have grown increasingly aware of the important role campaign consultants and public relations firms play in the electoral process. We have learned a great deal about these “permanent campaigns.” However, there is still much we do not know. This is particularly true relative to their use by organized interests and their presence in state politics. Using a large-scale mail survey of over 400 interest groups in three states, we investigated the extent to which groups utilized these campaign professionals. We analyzed who used them and for what purposes. We found some evidence to support the notion that wealthier groups are most likely to use political marketing techniques. However, the affiliation with a national group, the existence of a political action committee, and a group's participation in direct democracy are by far the most important indicators of a group's use of outside lobbying strategies.