Democratic politicians enjoy a major spike in political contributions after appearing on Comedy Central’s "The Colbert Report," according to a new study.
Political scientist James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego found that Democrats receive a 40 percent increase in contributions in the month after appearing on the fake-news show. But Republicans, Fowler concludes, "essentially gain nothing," according to a release.
Doesn't that suggest the show has a strong Democrat-leaning audience? The study appeared in PS, the journal of the American Political Science Association. Fowler found "Democrats benefit from a one-third increase in contributions yielding two-fifths more money over a 30-day period. In comparison, contributions to Republicans stay flat or even decline."
Fowler also notes that there are undoubtedly other factors in a fundraising surge, like the possibility a politician is doing multiple television appearances. He also notes only eight Republicans volunteered to appear in Colbert’s "Better Know a District" feature. The study lists about 40 Democrats who appeared.
