After 18 hours of speeches by the candidates, testimonials from former presidents and generals, poignant appeals from voters, a cross-country nominating roll call, opera on a White House balcony and fireworks over the Washington Monument, the verdict is in on the national political conventions. Ratings were down. Polls barely budged. […] Read more »
Democrats requesting absentee ballots outnumber GOP in key swing states
As early voting in the presidential election begins Friday, with North Carolina becoming the first state in the nation to send out absentee ballots, key battleground states are seeing a significant increase in requests for mail-in ballots and registered Democrats are outpacing Republicans. Although voters in North Carolina have until […] Read more »
UMD Critical Issues Poll Sheds Light on Impact of Party Conventions, Shows Biden Lead
A new University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll took the national political pulse during the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention, and found little sway in the allegiances of self-identified Republicans and Democrats. However, the poll revealed that independents may be the reason that Democratic nominee Joe Biden […] Read more »
Presidential Expectations and the Race for the House
Key Points• Perceptions of the presidential race could have some impact down the ballot.• Ticket-splitting is on the decline, but plenty of voters will vote for different parties for president and House, perhaps to the benefit of candidates from both parties.• We are making 14 House rating changes, 10 in […] Read more »
Ethnic antagonism erodes Republicans’ commitment to democracy
Growing partisan polarization and democratic “backsliding” in various parts of the world have raised concerns about the attachment of ordinary Americans to democratic institutions and procedures. I find that substantial numbers of Republicans endorse statements contemplating violations of key democratic norms, including respect for the law and for the outcomes […] Read more »
Biden’s GOP endorsements show the cracks in Trump’s coalition
Joe Biden is attracting more crossover endorsements from prominent members of the opposing party than any other presidential candidate from either side in decades. That doesn’t guarantee the former vice president victory in November, but history suggests it could signal a lasting break in the Republican coalition that provides new […] Read more »