There’s No Women’s Mafia: Women’s Donor Groups in State Legislative Elections

Abstract

ABSTRACT Little is known about the presence of women’s donor groups in state legislative elections. This work investigates their role in both primary and general election contests. As an exploratory analysis, it utilizes elite interviews to probe new questions about gender and campaign finance. Women’s donor groups are not solely a congressional election phenomenon. They are active in state legislative races, provide resources other than money, and impact the perceptions of female candidates. This study offers insights to practitioners and scholars concerned with women’s representation. For practitioners, it highlights opportunities for strategic behavior to maximize the impact of women’s donor groups of all political affiliations. For scholars, it suggests new pathways for research on Republican women’s groups specifically as well as the impact of these organizations in general, especially during primary elections and regarding candidates of color.