Earmarks, Race and Ethnicity, and Congressional Representation

• In Event: Poster Session: Exploring the Dynamics of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics

Abstract

Congressional literature and conventional wisdom alike argue that Congressional earmarks are often used to aid in reelection campaigns. Indeed, Lazarus et al. (2012) find that not only do members of the House of Representatives use earmarks to aid in their reelection, they are often successful in their efforts. Furthermore, in times of electoral peril, the majority party through positive agenda control protects earmarks for particularly vulnerable members of the party. Still, the question of the congressional logic behind earmarks remains under examined. In this paper, I examine how race and ethnicity impact the distribution of earmarks. I find that earmarks are not evenly distributed—racial and ethnic representatives are severely limited in the amount of earmarks they receive for their district.

Author

• Neil Chaturvedi, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona