Candidate Donations

Vivian Paige asks an interesting question:

[D]oes a candidate’s lack of contributions to other candidates in any way affect your decision about that candidate?

It’s a good question, and one that reminds us of the inside baseball that shapes intraparty politics (and therefore the state’s politics).  One of her commenters (Silence Dogood) responded with what I’d pretty much call my own take on the matter:

Honestly, I do look at the contribution reports, mainly to see if there are any patterns. If someone never donated very much and then suddenly started shelling out money left and right six months before he filed, it’s a pretty clear sign he’s the sort that thinks that support is bought, not earned. If someone donates to a few select candidates regularly, particularly local candidates, I know they’re probably connected to someone they support. If someone has zero donations, I start to wonder if they’re political neophytes–do they not understand elections enough to have donated to some candidate, ANY candidate in the past? Are they so poorly connected that no one ever thought to ask them for money?

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