New perspectives on partisanship, electoral competition, and campaign finance behavior in congressional elections

Over the last several decades, monumental changes to American politics have changed congressional elections. The onset of political nationalization, party polarization, and negative partisanship have shifted the motivations, strategies, and tactics of those who financially participate in congressional elections. These shifts have occurred amidst landmark campaign finance policy changes. In this chapter, a novel transaction-level dataset of campaign donations, independent expenditures, and political action committee transfers from 1990 to 2022 is used to track these changes in congressional elections. The authors argue that individual donors; party organizations; and non-party groups have reacted in divergent ways that match their electoral motivations. For example, an analysis of the top House fundraisers and most competitive districts demonstrates how nationalization and negative partisanship are driving many individuals' donations. Meanwhile, parties and ideological groups appear laser-focused on the most competitive races, while business and labor organizations continue to target safer incumbents with access-oriented giving and spending.