Pork barrel efficacy: the importance of budgetary amendments and allied mayors in the election of deputies

Abstract There is little consensus among empirical studies regarding the electoral effect of individual budget amendments. The present article addresses this question by using regressions with panel data to study how a deputy's amendments affect his performance in the race for re-election. In addition, a regression discontinuity is estimated to assess how the mayor's party affects the proposition and execution of the budget amendments. The results show that only amendments made as transfers to mayoral administrations generate votes, especially when the mayor belongs to the party of the legislator. In addition, a larger volume of amendments is proposed and implemented in the municipalities.