The Effect of Independent Expenditures on Congressional Elections following Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010)

Independent expenditures can greatly influence campaigns and the outcome of elections, a phenomenon that many expect will become more evident following the U.S. Supreme Court\u27s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC (2010). Corporations first had the chance to flex their free speech muscle in the 2010 elections, as as expected, spending on campaigns appears to have increased. What patterns are emerging? How has increased spending influenced electoral results? In this paper I will examine this increase and the subsequent effects of corporate independent expenditures on all 2010 House races. Using multivariate analysis, I will show that corporate independent expenditures substantially increased following Citizens United (2010) and how this monetary surge affected increased outcomes in the 2010 Congressional election