Local Experts Available for Timely Analysis on Key Midterm Races

Wright's work addresses broad questions related to socially and economically marginalized groups in the US, including the factors that promote representation of members of traditionally under-represented groups, such as racial/ethnic minorities and women. Her current research focuses on the emergence and electoral success of candidates from traditionally under-represented groups as well as the opinions and political behavior of people who belong to these groups.

Grosland's research focuses on politics (political subjects and policy) and the interaction between emotion, leadership, and policy in education. An overarching theme of Grosland's work includes what it means to experience, not just political subjects, but rather what leaders consider important political matters.

Klofstad’s teaching and research addresses how society and biology influence human decision-making. Through a ten-year panel study of college undergraduates who were randomly assigned to their dormitories, he has shown that everyday casual conversations about politics can cause people to become more active civically.

Rohlinger's research focuses on communications, conservative movements, and civic engagement. Her current research explores digital technologies, polarization, and extremism in individual claimsmaking around political controversies, including abortion politics and school shootings.

Franklin specializes in the institutions of American politics. He teaches courses on the American Presidency, American National Government and Georgia State politics. He also has a research interest and has published on film and politics, and the budget process in Congress.

Lizotte's main area of research is gender differences in public opinion, voting, and party identification. She has also published work on voter evaluations of women political candidates. Her areas of expertise in American politics include vote choice, candidate evaluations, party identification, public opinion, race, ethnicity, and politics, and gender and politics. 

Campbell has served as chair in his sociology department for ten years.  He has also held faculty positions at the Copenhagen Business School, Harvard University, the University of Wisconsin, and Washington State University.  He studies how institutions affect politics, policymaking, and economic performance in advanced capitalist countries.  His work cuts across the fields of sociology, political science, and economics.

Crabtree's research's focuses on fairness in politics, with applications to the study of discrimination, repression, human rights, policing, and immigration. Crabtree specifically examines under what circumstances political actors and institutions treat members of the public differently based on their political views or personal demographics, and how the public views this treatment.

Haynie's research examines how the theories, structures, and practices of American sub-national political institutions, especially legislatures, affect African Americans’ and women’s efforts to exert influence on the political system.

Kreitzer's research focuses on gender, political representation, political inequality, and public policy in the US states. She is an expert in state reproductive health policy and biases in standard evaluations of teaching (SETs).

Beckwith's teaching and research interests focus primarily on political parties, political movements, and women, gender, and politics. She is particularly interested in how political institutions shape political opportunities and disadvantages along gender lines, and how women – and men – mobilize to assert their policy preferences.

Hannah has written extensively on medical marijuana policy and how it has spread and evolved over time. In addition, he has researched the structure of local political parties and examined their online behavior. His work has appeared in Party Politics, Research & Politics, and Political Research Quarterly.

Sweet-Cushman teaches courses in public policy, American politics, women and politics, and research methods. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Commonwealth: A Pennsylvania Journal of Politics and Policy, and is a frequent contributor to local, state, and national media as an expert on Pennsylvania electoral politics. Her expertise includes the politics of Southwest Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania legislature, women in politics, and statewide races in the commonwealth.

Putnam researches social movements and political participation in local, national, and transnational dimensions, with particular attention to the ways that social media and the decline of local news have changed the landscape of what we learn and who we trust.

Witko's research focuses on how public policies shape and respond to economic outcomes like unemployment and inequality, and how the public and organized interests influence public policy. His most recent book is Hijacking the Agenda: Economic Power and Political Influence.

Burden's research and teaching focus on U.S. elections, public opinion, representation, and the U.S. Congress. His recent research has centered on aspects of election administration and voter participation. He is the author of Personal Roots of Representation.

Shah’s research examines the politics and policy consequences of racial and ethnic minority office holding, most often in cities and school districts. Her work addresses questions of where and when minority candidates run for office, when they win, and the policy outputs and relationships to constituents.