Abstract
Because legislation affects so many aspects of the labor market, unions have long considered the political arena to be a major battleground. This paper investigates fund raising, a primary ingredient of this political activity. Specifically, the pattern of campaign contributions from labor PACs (and corporate PACs) is explained as an interaction of supply and demand. The results suggest that the demand for funds depends on the tightness of the race, the tenure of the incumbent, and ideology. Contributors are more willing to support ideological allies, expected winners, and powerful candidates.
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Wilhite, A., Theilmann, J. Unions, corporations, and political campaign contributions: The 1982 house elections. Journal of Labor Research 7, 175–185 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685309
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02685309