Comments on: Schwarzenegger Signs Public Campaign Finance Law http://www.policyreport.net/2008/10/schwarzenegger-signs-public-campaign-finance-law/ California Public Policy Debate and Analysis Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:42:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Trent Lange http://www.policyreport.net/2008/10/schwarzenegger-signs-public-campaign-finance-law/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Trent Lange Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:00:43 +0000 http://thepolicyreport.wordpress.com/?p=350#comment-35 Endorsements from candidates' parties will still help even when candidates are publicly funded, but having a funding source independent of the parties should still make a huge difference. Currently, 93% of state races in California were won by the candidate who spent the most money, and incumbents outspend challengers by over 4-1. Essentially, incumbents rarely have to justify their actions to the voters because they almost never face seriously funded opposition. When incumbents have to face challengers that have the same amount as money as they do, as they will with Fair Elections funding due to its matching funds, they have to take their challengers seriously and have to actually have to defend their record to the voters. Sure, incumbency and support from their parties will still be advantages, but in Arizona and Maine, where they've had Fair Elections funding since 2000, incumbents face challengers much more often and challengers actually win much more often. Even when incumbents win, they're more accountable to the voters because they don't have to worry about future campaign funds being cut off if they don't vote the way a lobbyist (or their party) tells them to. For more information on AB 583 and its benefits, go to http://www.CAclean.org. Trent Lange President of Board of Directors California Clean Money Campaign Endorsements from candidates’ parties will still help even when candidates are publicly funded, but having a funding source independent of the parties should still make a huge difference.

Currently, 93% of state races in California were won by the candidate who spent the most money, and incumbents outspend challengers by over 4-1. Essentially, incumbents rarely have to justify their actions to the voters because they almost never face seriously funded opposition.

When incumbents have to face challengers that have the same amount as money as they do, as they will with Fair Elections funding due to its matching funds, they have to take their challengers seriously and have to actually have to defend their record to the voters.

Sure, incumbency and support from their parties will still be advantages, but in Arizona and Maine, where they’ve had Fair Elections funding since 2000, incumbents face challengers much more often and challengers actually win much more often. Even when incumbents win, they’re more accountable to the voters because they don’t have to worry about future campaign funds being cut off if they don’t vote the way a lobbyist (or their party) tells them to.

For more information on AB 583 and its benefits, go to http://www.CAclean.org.

Trent Lange
President of Board of Directors
California Clean Money Campaign

]]>