Passing the Bucks: The Congressional contribution network 1985–2006

Many members of Congress now play an active role in financing the elections of their colleagues, but scholars of Congress have not kept up. To understand the flow of campaign funds between members of Congress, we must consider the structure of the contribution network. Building on recent studies of cosponsorship and committee net-works in Congress, we conduct the first network analysis of campaign and leadership PAC contributions between Congressional candidates and members. Using FEC data from 1985 to 2006, we show that the density of these networks has increased over time, identify the most central members within each Congress, and demonstrate that leaders in the House have become more central relative to the rank-and-file over this period. Our analysis provides a foundation for research into how members of Congress use contributions as a mechanism for institutional advancement