Geographic representation and requests for federal funds in the U.S. senate

Abstract

An essential component of a representative's job centers on deciding where to allocate scarce resources. How do legislators attempt to allocate spending across the geographic units of their constituencies, and what determines a legislator's success in securing these resources? To answer these questions, we create a new dataset of all earmark requests made by U.S. senators in the 117th Congress. This data was recently made available as part of reforms, allowing researchers to examine both requests and outcomes. We show that senators prioritize seeking earmarks for areas of their constituencies critical to their electoral success. We then match these requests to earmarks funded by the Appropriations Committee and show that a legislator's institutional standing and the behavior of their same-state colleague—but not electoral concerns—shape whether projects are successfully funded. We provide insight into a behind-the-scenes aspect of representation and illuminate the strategic dynamics that shape federal spending.