Date of Award

Spring 2011

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs

Committee Chair

Troy Gibson

Committee Chair Department

Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs

Committee Member 2

Marek Steedman

Committee Member 2 Department

Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs

Committee Member 3

Joseph Parker

Committee Member 3 Department

Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs

Abstract

Objectives: In the age of new media communication, politics has taken a swift turn as the Internet lends itself to quicker and less expensive contact. Politicians in all realms have adopted its communicative aspects in many forms as a means of promoting themselves and staying in contact with their constituents. What causes politicians to be more "connected" than others? And secondly, does that "connectivity" lead to successful elections? In this analysis, we will discuss what contributes to a United States Senator's connectivity, and if his or her heightened connectivity led to a higher probability of winning elections. Units of analysis: The senators from the 111 th United States Senate. Data/Methods: For this analysis, binary regression will be used. Our units of analysis will be dissected using logistic regression to determine what variables are statistically significant. For the second half of this analysis, the dependent variable will be a binary measure of successfully won elections. In this second part, our original connectivity measure will assume the spot of an independent variable. Hypothesis: State poverty rating and Leadership rating will be the two most important variables in determining a senator's connectivity score, and subsequently, the more connected the senator is, the higher probability he or she has of winning an election.

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