Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: U.S. Elections
Taylor Talks to AP About CIA Report Criticizing Investigation of Russia’s Support for Trump in 2016
“This report doesn’t change any of the underlying evidence—in fact it doesn’t even address any of that evidence,” says Brian Taylor, director the Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs. Taylor suggests the report may have been intended to reinforce Trump’s claims that investigations into his ties to Russia are part of a Democratic hoax.
See related: Federal, International Affairs, Political Parties, Russia, U.S. Elections, United States
Reeher Quoted in Associated Press, Newsweek Articles on Zohran Mamdani’s NYC Mayoral Primary Win
“If I’m a Republican, I want this guy to win,” says Grant Reeher, professor of political science. “Because I want to be able to compare and contrast my campaign as a Republican, in a national election, to the idea of, ‘This is where the Democratic party is.’”
See related: New York City, Political Parties, State & Local, U.S. Elections
The House that Fox News Built? Representation, Political Accountability & the Rise of Partisan News
Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science, has co-written “The House that Fox News Built? Representation, Political Accountability, and the Rise of Partisan News” (Cambridge University Press, 2025). The book scientifically examines the impact of partisan news on political elites.
See related: Media & Journalism, Political Parties, U.S. Elections, United States
The Shadow Gospel: How Anti-liberal Demonology Possessed U.S. Religion, Media, and Politics
Mark Brockway, assistant teaching professor of political science, has co-authored “The Shadow Gospel: How Anti-liberal Demonology Possessed U.S. Religion, Media, and Politics” (The MIT Press, 2025). The book explores the American right, evangelical rhetoric and attacks on liberalism over the last eight decades.
See related: Political Parties, U.S. Elections, United States
Dunaway Weighs In on CNN and MSNBC Postelection Ratings Decline in Wall Street Journal Article
Partisan viewers “turn away in disgust when it’s the other side having that postelection euphoria,” says Johanna Dunaway, professor of political science and research director of the Institute for Democracy, Journalism and Citizenship.
See related: Media & Journalism, Political Parties, U.S. Elections, United States
Murrett Talks to Fox News About Russia Firing a New Ballistic Missile at Ukraine
“I do think it is a response to the unconstrained use that we have now for ATACMS missiles and also Storm Shadow missiles in the Kursk region of Russia and allowing the Ukrainians to use them,” says Vice Adm. Robert Murrett (Ret.), professor of practice of public administration and international affairs. “I think what the Russian leadership did with the Oreshnik missile—MRBM—is probably a response to that.”
See related: Conflict, Government, International Affairs, National Security, NATO, Russia, U.S. Elections, Ukraine, United States
The Impact of Inflation on Support for Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential Election
Professor of Political Science Daniel McDowell and his co-authors find that priming Americans to think about inflation reduces approval of the Biden-Harris administration and lowers confidence in the Democrats' ability to manage the economy. Published in SSRN.
See related: Economic Policy, U.S. Elections, United States
Taylor Comments on Election Interference by Russia in Associated Press Article
“Russia clearly interfered in this election,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science and expert on Russian politics. He says Russia’s objectives were to “help Trump and to sow chaos more generally—although there is no evidence that their activities changed the outcome.”
See related: International Affairs, Media & Journalism, Russia, U.S. Elections, United States
Thompson Talks to Catholic Standard, Miami Herald About the Catholic Vote in the 2024 Election
“One thing we do know is that the Latino vote broke for Trump to a much greater extent than it has for any Republican,” says Margaret Susan Thompson, associate professor of history and political science. “So the question is, does that add significantly to the Catholic margin?”
See related: Federal, Race & Ethnicity, Religion, U.S. Elections, United States
McFate Talks to Fox News About How a Trump Presidency Will Factor Into Iran’s War With Israel
“Trump’s victory will give Iran pause as it considers striking back at Israel in their tit for tat,” says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.