Legislators are raising money instead of making policy

Legislators spend considerable time dialing for d…

An episode of the The Science of Politics podcast, hosted by Niskanen Center, titled "Legislators are raising money instead of making policy" was published on February 18, 2026 and runs 61 minutes.

February 18, 2026 ·61m · The Science of Politics

Summary

Legislators spend considerable time dialing for dollars to support their party, even if they themselves are not in electoral danger. That helps them move up the party leadership ladder, but does not help them achieve their policy goals. Michael Kistner finds that when legislators spend a lot of time raising money, they spend less making policy. By rewarding fundraising, parties miss out on both diverse leaders and effective legislators. But states that reform their campaign finance system are able to make more landmark policies.

Episode Description