Leadership PAC changes would make matters worse
U.S.
PIRG will soon release a report that details the fundraising advantages incumbents have enjoyed in recent elections and how that advantage is
increasing.
The
report’s findings also suggest that a rider attached to the pending
Senate Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development
Appropriations bill that would loosen restrictions on Leadership PACs
that can only be established by incumbents would hurt challengers where
they are already most vulnerable – competing for $1000+ contributions.
According
to the study, incumbent Senators in the 2004 election out-raised
challengers 4.6-to-1, up from 3.6-to-1 in 2002. Sitting Representatives
also out-raised their challengers 4.6-to-1. This is in addition to the
$383,000 war chest the average incumbent had built up before the
election cycle began.
Further,
the research finds that incumbents raised more money and a higher
percentage of their funds from individuals in contributions of at least
$1,000. Incumbents out-raised challengers $234 million to $61 million
in $1,000+ contributions. Incumbents received 57% of their individual
contributions in amounts of at least $1,000 this election cycle,
compared with 45% for challengers.
“Giving
incumbents, but not challengers, increased access to larger
contributions takes a system already skewed to favor incumbents and
makes matters even worse,” said U.S. PIRG Democracy Advocate Gary
Kalman,. “With incumbent re-election rates reaching 98%, the focus
should be on making races more competitive, not on self-interested
proposals to further disadvantage challengers.”
In
2004, House incumbents running for re-election returned to office 98.3%
of the time and Senate incumbents 96.2%, up from 97.2% and 88.8%%
respectively in 2002.
The
Leadership PAC rider would allow incumbent Senators to transfer up to
$34,200 for their re-election campaign and unlimited funds to their
political parties. By definition, challengers would not be allowed to
establish these PACs. A vote on the Appropriations bill and a motion to
strip the rider from the bill are expected this week.
