Campaign spending, poverty levels and electoral outcomes in Brazil

Is the effect of campaign spending higher in poorer electoral districts? This chapter tests the hypothesis that there is a positive correlation between campaign spending efficiency and poverty levels. In other words, the impact of campaign spending on electoral results should be higher in poorer electoral districts. On methodological grounds, the research design analyzes Brazil and the United States in a comparative perspective. In particular, we combine cluster analysis, factor analysis, spatial analysis, and ordinary least squares regression techniques to examine the relationship among campaign spending, poverty levels and electoral outcomes.