Campaign Fundraising a Top Priority for New Members of Congress

COLLEGE PARK, Md. Even before taking the oath of office, members of the U.S. Congress, especially new ones, must concentrate on raising money to pay off campaign debts and to prepare for re-election. That makes campaign fundraisers commonplace events at this time of year. "After retiring your opponent, retiring your debt is often job one," said political scientist Paul Herrnson, director of the Center for American Politics and Citizenship at the University of Maryland. "If you want to keep getting elected, fundraising never really stops it's like holding down two jobs."

Herrnson has the figures to prove it. While anecdotal evidence has long suggested that candidates and members of Congress spend increasing amounts of time fundraising, Herrnson directed a study providing the first hard numbers. Based on candidates' answers to survey questions, 55 percent of those running for statewide office, 43 percent of those running for Congress, and even 33 percent of those running for state legislatures spent one-quarter of their campaign time raising money. Nearly one of every five spent as much as half their campaign time fundraising.

"For officeholders and candidates alike, rattling the cup and dialing for dollars are the most disagreeable parts of the job," Herrnson said. "Yet half of those running for high office devote at least one-quarter of their campaigning to it. To see why just look at the latest Federal Election Commission figures; each new election turns out to be the most expensive ever."

The sample used in Herrnson's study included a representative group of candidates for various federal, state, and local offices across the United States roughly 2,200 who ran in general elections from all parties between 1996 and 1998.

The only significant factors correlated with greater time spent fundraising were the office the candidates ran for and whether they were from a major party. "The job carries a price tag and not every candidate can afford to pay it," Herrnson said. "That edge explains a lot why passing campaign finance reform will be difficult, why incumbents must continually raise money, and why some of the most promising potential candidates choose not to run."

The study was funded by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, and is available at www.bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/herrnson/reporttime.html. To interview Herrnson, call 301-405-4123.