The Money Chase: How Proposed Changes to Campaign Finance Laws Could Impact Female Candidates

Abstract

In their book, Madam President: Shattering the Last Glass Ceiling, Eleanor Clift and Tom Brazaitis shed light on the various reasons why a woman has yet to ascend the political ladder and occupy the Oval Office. While the authors do include some mention of female candidates' difficulty with fundraising, the authors fail to address a key component of any political analysis: Campaign finance reform. Reforming the federal election laws could have a profound influence on the prospects of current and future female politicians. Two reform proposals, including banning or restricting soft money and banning or restricting the practice of bundling, have consistently appeared on the short list of suggested changes to campaign finance laws. This Book Review explores these reform proposals and explains why banning soft money or bundling would take away two essential sources of campaign funds for women, thereby hindering their ability to rise through the political ranks.