Agents of Change? Women Candidates and Support for Campaign Finance Reform

Most Americans believe there is too much money in politics and are sympathetic to reform. Using nationally representative survey data, we study how the public views the likelihood that members of Congress (MCs) will support reforms to reduce the influence of the wealthy. The public’s beliefs about reform may have implications for candidates’ fundraising strategies. Because women are underrepresented in politics and may face campaign finance barriers, the reform debate may have unique implications for them: to the extent that women are associated with reform, they may face a dilemma with regard to what fundraising strategies they can employ. We propose that individuals will draw on gender, party, and race/ethnicity in their expectations about which MCs are most reform-minded.