As the Republican convention gets underway, recent Gallup polling finds the GOP still trailing Democrats in U.S. adults’ party affiliation but not nearly to the degree it did in June. The Democratic advantage over the Republican Party, which was an unusually large 11-percentage-points in June, is now six points. … […] Read more »
A Virtual Democratic Convention
This week, Joe Biden officially became the Democratic nominee for president in the first-ever virtual convention. While there were no crowds, handshakes, or applause to demonstrate excitement, the new format allowed for Americans across the country to participate. … Maya King from Politico, Astead Herndon from The New York Times, […] Read more »
Trump is leading Republicans to an unwanted record in the popular vote
American elections tend to swing on a pendulum. No one party usually holds power for too long. Since 1952, for example, only once has a party won the presidency three elections in a row. Yet, partially through a little bit of bad luck and two electoral college-popular vote splits, the […] Read more »
The Democratic Convention’s Big Blind Spot
… Biden projected passion, energy, and solidity in remarks that more closely resembled a grave presidential address from the Oval Office than the typical raucous convention speech. In his manner as much as his words, Biden offered a contrast to Trump’s belligerent volatility—and to the GOP’s portrayal of him as […] Read more »
The partisan pandemic: Do we now live in alternative realities?
A protestor argues with a counter-protestor in Los Angeles on May 1, 2020. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images Andrea Robbett, Middlebury and Peter Hans Matthews, Middlebury Politics can divide even friends and families. When this happens, we like to tell ourselves that the explanation lies in honest differences in […] Read more »
A Look at Black Voters Nationally, and Within the Democratic Party
Our recent nationwide Battleground Tracker Poll fielded just before the Democratic Convention shows that 90% of Black likely voters nationwide plan to cast their ballot for Joe Biden. In this, Biden is doing better among Black voters than Hillary Clinton did at this point in the campaign four years ago. […] Read more »