Donor Opinions and What Drives Them to Give

Published October 31, 2023

Senior Hoover Institution fellow, Brandice Canes-Wrone, dives deeper into the research that shows political donors tend to hold more polarizing views than non-donors.  When focused on policy and ideology when contributing, small donors are actually more extreme than larger contributors, challenging the notion small donations cure polarization. She further argues that contribution limits increase legislative polarization, and that limiting party donations while restricting PACs stunts compromise, though she acknowledges capping donations remains popular. Lastly, she notes the rise of public donation lists and party litigation funds as issues both needing more attention.