Private Interests and Public Interests: An Analysis of the Impact of Personal Finance on Congressional Voting on Agriculture Issues

The extent to which private financial interests influence roll-call voting is a question that has received little systematic attention by political scientists. This study uses financial disclosure data to examine the relationship between levels of financial interests in agricultural enterprises and congressional roll-call voting on agriculture-related issues. Two models of financial effects were tested. Direct effects were minimal, but some indirect effects were found. The complex problem of separating the effects of personal financial interests from those of the constituency was discussed, with some possibilities for future research strategies outlined.