How do elite endorsements shape coordination in electoral competition? Endorsements are often viewed as a mechanism through which parties coordinate support behind a single viable candidate. However, in practice, endorsements are made by individual elites with their own incentives, which may not align. As a result, endorsements can either consolidate support or contribute to fragmentation and inefficient candidate selection.

This project studies endorsements as strategic actions that affect how support is distributed across candidates. I develop a model in which elites allocate endorsements in a competitive environment, shaping which candidates emerge as viable contenders. The framework characterizes when decentralized endorsement decisions lead to effective coordination and when they instead reinforce divisions or sustain weaker candidacies. The goal is to identify the conditions under which elite involvement improves electoral selection versus when it distorts it.