Abstract
Pork-barrel spending is the use of federal money for localized projects that yield only a narrow geographic benefit. It is a commonly held belief that politicians use this spending to improve their chances of re-election. One way that an incumbent can increase their chances of re-election is through increased fundraising. Political entrepreneurs see this opportunity and attempt to benefit from these projects in exchange for campaign contributions. This paper investigates whether incumbents are able to use their position to bolster their campaign contributions. I find pork-barrel spending and political contributions to be positively related, but this effect is only present when the incumbent properly times the project. I also find that general federal appropriations do not have the same impact. This supports the claim that pork-barrel spending can be used as a currency in the marketplace for political capital.
Highlights
IntroductionIn his seminal work, Congress: The Electoral Connection, Mayhew (1974) claimed that members of Congress devote resources to three basic activities when seeking re-election
Given the extensive research conducted on political fundraising and the effects of campaign spending, there has been surprisingly little research on the effects of pork-barrel spending on campaign contributions
Regression five used the six-year federal outlays, while regression six replaced the aggregate appropriation with annual outlays during the election year and two year prior in order to explore the possibility of an electoral cycle in the effects of state appropriations on overall fundraising
Summary
In his seminal work, Congress: The Electoral Connection, Mayhew (1974) claimed that members of Congress devote resources to three basic activities when seeking re-election. Congress: The Electoral Connection, Mayhew (1974) claimed that members of Congress devote resources to three basic activities when seeking re-election They can advertise through speeches, public openings, and campaign ads. They can credit-claim by showing off the positive things they have done for their constituents. This can include federal money appropriated to their district, or policies that have a net benefit for their voters. Members of Congress can take positions by using their voting behavior to form a political platform
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