Original
Keep Winning with WinRed? Online Fundraising Platform as the Party’s Public Good
Abstract
What determines the relative importance of extended party networks versus party leaders in parties’ campaign strategies? We synthesize theories of party organizations by highlighting the interplay between formal institutions and extended networks, using an example from US campaign finance. Online platforms are increasingly important in political fundraising, and party-wide platform coordination increases efficiency for any party. However, parties’ strategies sharply diverged: ActBlue for Democrats was created outside of and run independent of the party leadership, while WinRed for Republicans was created and controlled by party elites. We argue that asymmetries in the composition and incentives of extended party network members allowed ActBlue to grow organically but hindered natural coordination for Republicans. Analyses of platform communications and solicitation strategies show that, indeed, only the GOP actively intervened in members’ platform choices to overcome coordination failures. Matched-panel analysis proves the strategy effective; Republican candidates reaped sizable fundraising rewards from joining WinRed.
中文
继续靠WinRed取胜？在线筹款平台作为政党的公共物品
摘要
什么决定了扩展政党网络与政党领袖在政党竞选策略中的相对重要性？我们通过强调正式制度与扩展网络之间的相互作用，综合政党组织理论，并以美国竞选资金为例。在线平台在政治筹款中日益重要，而全党范围的平台协调会提高任何政党的效率。然而，两党的策略出现显著分化：民主党的ActBlue创建于政党领导层之外，并独立于政党领导层运作，而共和党的WinRed则由政党精英创建并控制。我们认为，扩展政党网络成员在构成和激励上的不对称，使ActBlue得以有机成长，却阻碍了共和党人的自然协调。对平台传播和劝募策略的分析表明，确实只有共和党主动干预成员的平台选择，以克服协调失败。匹配面板分析证明该策略有效；共和党候选人因加入WinRed而获得可观的筹款回报。
关键词
竞选资金、在线筹款平台、政党组织、扩展政党网络、平台协调、公共物品、美国政党、匹配面板分析