Scientists’ political donations reflect polarization in academia – with implications for the public’s trust in science

Under 10% of political donations from academic scholars go to Republican causes. Douglas Rissing/iStock via Getty Images Plus Alexander Kaurov, Harvard University People who lean left politically reported an increase in trust in scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic, while those who lean right politically reported much lower levels of trust […] Read more »

How one DeSantis speech captured the dynamic that could decide 2024

When Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivered his initial speech as a declared presidential candidate in Iowa last week, his first 15 minutes succinctly previewed how Republicans might defeat President Joe Biden next year. The next 30 minutes of DeSantis’ speech then demonstrated how Biden might survive despite all the doubts […] Read more »

The data behind the Supreme Court’s shift to the right

The Supreme Court has long painted itself as a safe space, in a country dominated by political partisanship, where the law and the Constitution rule. But data from recent years puts some weight behind the critics who argue that the highest court in the land has taken on a more […] Read more »

The Most Jarring — And Revealing — Moment from Trump’s CNN Town Hall

In CNN’s tumultuous town hall last week with Donald Trump, the most jarring moment was the most revealing. For many viewers, an especially discordant exchange came when some of the New Hampshire Republicans in the studio audience laughed and cheered as the former president disparaged E. Jean Carroll, the woman […] Read more »

More green investment hasn’t softened red resistance on climate

Even as billions of dollars in new clean energy investments surge into Republican leaning communities around the country, state and federal GOP officials are hardening their resistance to efforts to reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels. That stark contrast has dashed a central hope and expectation among environmentalists: the […] Read more »