FINANCING THE CAMPAIGNS OF WOMEN CANDIDATES AND THEIR OPPONENTS - EVIDENCE FROM 3 STATES, 1982-1990

Contrary to research from the 1970s, evidence since the 1980s suggests that women candidates compete evenly for campaign funds with male can didates. The existing evidence is less complete at the state legislati ve level than it is in congressional elections. The data presented her e draw upon the campaign finance reports of state legislative candidat es from three states from 1982 to 1990. The results suggest that women candidates usually raise more than similarly situated male candidates , but this does not result in an actual advantage because their male o pponents also raise more than other male candidates. The patterns over time do not indicate that women candidates gained parity with male ca ndidates during the 1980s but rather began that decade equal to men in campaign finance.