Money, Profession and Party: A victory in the elections to the House in Brazil in 2010

Using database containing information on 4,124 candidates for the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections in Brazil, this study evaluates the impact of the variables 'occupation', 'type of political party' and 'campaign financing' on electoral performance. The article concludes that belonging to large and organized political parties, having previous political experience (especially in the House of Representatives itself) and possessing high capacity of collecting financial resources are essential conditions of electoral success in Brazil. These data highlight the professionalism of politicians and the increasing institutionalization of the Brazilian political universe. Adapted from the source document.