My research focuses on elections, vote buying, public opinion, and voter education.  I have a regional focus in Latin America, with a particular emphasis on Brazil.  My dissertation project examines citizen attitudes toward clientelism, the exchange of goods and services for political support.  I argue that there are many the term clientelism encompasses a wide variety of behaviors, each of which may be viewed differently by the general public.  This variation in citizen attitudes toward clientelist politicians influences voting behavior and, subsequently, how parties campaign in particular districts.  Second hand data on clientelism is scarce because the subject is politically sensitive and because the practice is difficult to observe and measure.  With a Werner Baer Fellowship, I will to collect and analyze original data in Brazil over the next academic year.  I plan to conduct interviews with political elites, follow an electoral campaign during the upcoming general elections, and implement a survey with Brazilian voters.  My research will contribute to our understanding of party strategy and electoral competition in Brazil and developing democracies more generally by explaining the circumstances that lead voters to accept or reject clientelist candidates.