Campaign Reform: Interest Groups, Parties, and Candidates

The rapid rise of private interest group campaign financing since the 1970s has prompted responses from both citizen organizations and the federal and state governments. The conversion of presidential campaigns from private to public funding has been the most important example of this at the federal level, and more recently, congressional campaign financing has been nearly adopted. The record of campaign finance reform at the state level ranges more widely. Nearly all states have an independent enforcement agency and require candidate disclosure of campaign-financing data. Most states impose some limitation or ban on private groups and organizations in regard to campaign contributions, and many supplement private donations with taxpayer funds, which allows for more stringent restrictions on private groups and candidates. A few states now prevent immediate employment of former public officials in lobbying positions, and others have prohibited all gift and social lobbying outlays.