The Party’s Primary Preferences: Race, Gender, and Party Support of Congressional Primary Candidates

Hassell, Hans J.G.; Visalvanich, Neil

Abstract

Party support has a strong influence on candidate success in the primary. What remains unexplored is whether party actions during the primary are biased along racial and gender lines. Using candidate demographic data at the congressional level and measures of party support for primary candidates, we test whether parties discriminate against women and minority candidates in congressional primaries and also whether parties are strategic in their support of minority candidates in certain primaries. Our findings show parties are not biased against minority candidates and also that white women candidates receive more support from the Democratic Party than do other types of candidates. Our findings also suggest that parties do not appear to strategically support minority candidates in districts with larger populations of minorities. Lastly, we also find no significant differences in the effects of party support on the likelihood of success in the primary by candidate race or gender.

Citation

Hassell, H. J., & Visalvanich, N. (2019). The Party’s Primary Preferences: Race, Gender, and Party Support of Congressional Primary Candidates. American Journal of Political Science, 63(4), 905-919. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12461

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 16, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Sep 4, 2019
• Publication Date: Oct 31, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 15, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 4, 2021
• Journal: American Journal of Political Science
• Print ISSN: 0092-5853
• Electronic ISSN: 1540-5907
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 63
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 905-919
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ajps.12461
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1301625