This article examines candidates' perceptions of political party services provided in state legislative campaigns using survey data from seven states in 1994. I find that candidates generally do not feel that party assistance is very helpful, although multivariate analyses show that this varies systematically with state context and district-level competition. The influence of campaign financing on candidate perceptions is particularly important. In districts where candidates spend similar amounts on their campaigns, candidates believe parties provide greater assistance. My findings suggest that parties target campaign services to candidates in the same way that they target financial contributions, focusing on districts where these resources are most likely to affect the election outcome.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AgranoffRobert. 1972. The New Style in Election Campaigns. 2nd ed.Boston, MA: Holbrook Press.
2.
AldrichJohn H.1995. Why Parties? The Origin and Transformation of Party Politics in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
3.
BibbyJohn F.1999. State and Local Parties in a Candidate-Centered Age. In American State and Local Politics: Directions for the 21st Century, eds. WeberRonald E.Brace.PaulNew York: Chatham House.
4.
BurrellBarbara C.1986. “Local Political Party Committees, Task Performance and Organizational Vitality.” Western Political Quarterly39:48–66.
5.
Citizens' Research Foundation.1997. New Realities, New Thinking: Report of the Task Force on Campaign Finance Reform. Los Angeles: Citizens' Research Foundation.
6.
CotterCornelius P.GibsonJames L.BibbyJohn F.HuckshornRobert J.. 1984. Party Organizations in American Politics. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
7.
DamoreDavid F.HansfordThomas G.. 1999. “The Allocation of Party Controlled Campaign Resources in the House of Representatives,1989–1996.”Political Research Quarterly52:371–85.
8.
EhrenhaltAlan. 1991. The United States of Ambition: Politicians, Power and the Pursuit of Office. New York: Random House.
9.
EpsteinLeon D.1986. Political Parties in the American Mold. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
10.
FrendreisJohnGitelsonAlan. 1998. Local Parties in the 1990s: Spokes in a Candidate-Centered Wheel. In The State of the Political Parties, eds. GreenJohn C.SheaDaniel M.. 3rd ed.Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
11.
FrendreisJohnGitelsonAlanFlemingGregoryLayzellAnne. 1994. Local Political Parties and Legislative Races in 1992 and 1994. In The State of the Political Parties, eds. GreenJohn C.SheaDaniel M.. 3rd ed.Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
12.
GibsonJames L.CotterCornelius P.BibbyJohn F.HuckshornRobert J.. 1983. “Assessing Party Organizational Strength.” American Journal of Political Science27:193–222.
13.
GibsonJames L.FrendreisJohn P.VertzLaura. 1989. “Party Dynamics in the 1980s: Change in County Party Organizational Strength,1980–1984.”American Journal of Political Science33:67–90.
14.
GierzynskiAnthony. 1992. Legislative Party Campaign Committees in the American States. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky Press.
15.
GierzynskiAnthonyBreauxDavid A.. 1998. The Financing Role of Parties. In Campaign Finance in State Legislative Elections, eds. ThompsonJoel A.MoncriefGary F.. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.
16.
HammKeith E.MoncriefGary F.. 1999. Legislative Politics in the States. In Politics in the American States, eds. GrayVirginiaHansonRussellJacob.Herbert7th ed.Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.
17.
HerrnsonPaul S.1988. Party Campaigning in the 1980s. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
18.
HersheyMarjorie Randon. 1984. Running for Office: The Political Education of Campaigners. Chatham, NJ: Chatham House.
19.
HolbrookThomas M.DunkEmily Van. 1993. “Electoral Competition in the American States.” American Political Science Review87:955–62.
20.
JacobsonGary C.1985–86. “Party Organization and Distribution of Campaign Resources: Republicans and Democrats in1982.”Political Science Quarterly100:603–25.
21.
JewellMalcolm E.BreauxDavid A.. 1988. “The Effect of Incumbency on State Legislative Elections.” Legislative Studies Quarterly13:495–514.
22.
JewellMalcolm E.MorehouseSarah M.. 2001. Political Parties and Elections in American States. 4th ed.Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.
23.
KazeeThomas A.1980. “The Decision to Run for the U.S. Congress: Challenger Attitudes in the 1970s.” Legislative Studies Quarterly5:79–100.
24.
KazeeThomas A.ThornberryMary C.. 1990. “Where's the Party? Congressional Candidate Recruitment and American Party Organization.” Western Political Quarterly43:61–80.
25.
KingdonJohn W.1968. Candidates for Office: Beliefs and Strategies. New York: Random House.
26.
MaglebyDavid B.2000. Outside Money: Soft Money and Issue Advocacy in the 1998 Congressional Elections. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.
27.
MayhewDavid R.1986. Placing Parties in American Politics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
28.
Meneffe-LibeyDavid. 2000. The Triumph of Campaign-Centered Politics. New York: Chatham House.
29.
PriceDavid E.1984. Bringing Back the Parties. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.
30.
ReichleyA. James. 1992. The Life of the Parties: A History of American Political Parties. New York: Free Press.
31.
RosenthalCindy Simon. 1995. “New Party or Campaign Bank Account? Explaining the Rise of State Legislative Campaign Committees.” Legislative Studies Quarterly20:249–68.
32.
SalmoreStephen A.SalmoreBarbara G.. 1985. Candidates, Parties, and Campaigns: Electoral Politics in America. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly Press.
33.
SchlesingerJoseph A.1985. “The New American Political Party.” American Political Science Review79:1152–69.
34.
SquirePeverill. 2000. “Uncontested Seats in State Legislative Elections.” Legislative Studies Quarterly25:131–46.
35.
WattenbergMartin P.1990. The Decline of American Political Parties, 1952–1988. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press.
