The Development of State Legislative Campaign Committees: A Second Look

Authors

  • Daniel M. Shea

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15763/issn.2374-7781.1994.15.0.213-234

Abstract

One of the most important recent developments in state politics has been the rapid emergence of legislative campaign committees (LCCs), now found in 40 states. A persistent theme in the literature is that the growth of these new organizations has been directly linked to party decline. More specifically, as traditional party organizations failed to respond to changing environmental conditions. LCCs were created. The analysis presented here rejects the functionalist perspective and argues that their development has occurred independent of party dynamics, and perhaps as a response to strengthening state party committees. Legislative professionalization is found to be the most telling exogenous variable, suggesting a good deal about LCC activities and goals. Contrary to expectations, these powerful organizations may not be interested in or capable of performing many of the functions historically undertaken by traditional party organizations.

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Published

1994-07-01

Issue

Vol. 15: Summer 1994

Section

Articles

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