The Effect of Campaign Contributions on the Power of the California Assembly Speaker

Abstract

The provision of goods and services is routinely accepted as a primary source of power for legislative leaders, yet few studies analyze how these goods influence members' behavior, or even whether they do. This study tests the hypothesis that the distribution of goods generates an exchange between leaders and followers, increasing the leaders' power over the legislative process. Specifically, the study examines how the distribution of campaign assistance by the past two Speakers of the California Assembly affected support for their positions on major roll-call votes. The findings indicate that recipients of contributions are no more likely than nonrecipients to support the Speaker on these votes.