TY - JOUR
T1 - State legislators as congressional candidates
T2 - The effects of prior experience on legislative recruitment and fundraising
AU - Berkman, Michael
AU - Eisenstein, James
PY - 1999/9
Y1 - 1999/9
N2 - Prior research on congressional recruitment establishes that "experienced" or "quality" candidates compete more successfully for votes and money. Little research, however, inquires into how type of prior experience affects strategic decisions on when to run or success once a race is undertaken. This research explores the impact of type of prior experience, focusing on state legislators who run for the U.S. House. We examine how experience affects decisions to run and money raised for all non-incumbent general election House candidates between 1988 and 1994. We find that type of prior experience matters. In particular, state legislators, especially those serving in professionalized legislatures, are more risk averse in deciding when to run. They also raise more of their money from PACs, and even more as the density of their state's interest group structure and professionalism of their legislature increases.
AB - Prior research on congressional recruitment establishes that "experienced" or "quality" candidates compete more successfully for votes and money. Little research, however, inquires into how type of prior experience affects strategic decisions on when to run or success once a race is undertaken. This research explores the impact of type of prior experience, focusing on state legislators who run for the U.S. House. We examine how experience affects decisions to run and money raised for all non-incumbent general election House candidates between 1988 and 1994. We find that type of prior experience matters. In particular, state legislators, especially those serving in professionalized legislatures, are more risk averse in deciding when to run. They also raise more of their money from PACs, and even more as the density of their state's interest group structure and professionalism of their legislature increases.
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U2 - 10.1177/106591299905200302
DO - 10.1177/106591299905200302
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0033464047
SN - 1065-9129
VL - 52
SP - 481
EP - 498
JO - Political Research Quarterly
JF - Political Research Quarterly
IS - 3
ER -