by Nicholas Beaudrot of Electoral Math
Well, now we know ... something.
I wanted a strong answer to the question "how much do coattails matter?" and spent some time digging up the relevant bits of information. But real-world data don't always support a clear conclusion. After examining the results of federal elections between 1982 and 1988, it seems that coattails might exist, but their impact is very modest and unpredictable.
