Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Effect of Momentum on Congressional Fundraising and Outcomes

这篇博士论文研究调查分析了现任者和挑战者之间在整个选举周期内每天的筹款动态。主要目标是估计现任和挑战者筹资中的动量效应。就像在总统选举中一样，存在这样一种预期，即国会竞选中的潜在捐赠者根据潮流效应和对谁将获胜的预期来做出分配决定。候选人对成功的期望不仅取决于手头的现金数量，还取决于新资金的积累速度。因此，候选人筹集资金的速度--这项调查中对势头的操作定义--在理论上是理解国会选举结果以及现任总统和挑战者在竞选过程中的相互作用的重要因素。这项博士论文研究调查有望增强我们对这一重要主题的理解。

This Doctoral Dissertation Research Investigation analyzes the dynamics of fundraising between incumbents and challengers on a daily basis over an entire election cycle. The principal objective is to estimate momentum effects in incumbents' and challengers' fundraising. Just as in presidential elections, the expectation exists that potential contributors in congressional races make their allocation decisions in terms of bandwagon effects and expectations about who will win. A candidate's expectations of success depend not only on the amount of cash on hand, but also on the rate at which new money is being accumulated. Hence, the rate at which candidates raise money-the operational definition of momentum in this investigation--is a theoretically important factor in understanding congressional election outcomes as well as the interplay between incumbents and challengers over the course of the campaign.This Doctoral Dissertation Research Investigation promises to enhance our understanding of this important topic.