“The shift from party-centered campaigns to candidate-centered campaigns has contributed to the escalation of the costs of running for elective office in the United States.”

The shift from party-centered campaigns to candidate-centered campaigns has contributed to the escalation of the costs of running for elective office in the United States. In the modern era, heavy use of television, radio, and direct mail has emerged as the primary means with which to communicate with voters. As political scientist Frank Sorauf observed, “Nothing characterizes the new era as vividly as the increase in sheer sums of money spent in campaigns for public office.”