“Newsom embodies California in both his style and politics. How will that play with Midwestern voters who are suspicious of San Francisco politicians who hang out in wine country?” Ray La Raja, political science and co-director of the UMass Poll, says California Governor Gavin Newsom could have an image problem if he runs for president.

A June 2021 policy brief co-authored by Jesse Rhodes, political science, is cited in an article on a proposal for same-day voter registration in New Jersey. The brief outlined research finding that turnout by Black and Latino voters can be up to 17 percentage points higher in states with same-day registration. (New Jersey Monitor, 11/22/23)

A New UMass Amherst Poll of nearly 300 former members of Congress shows rising concerns about threats of political violence. The survey, conducted between June and October, finds 84% of the former legislators surveyed said they were concerned about the possibility of violence related to the 2024 presidential election, including 74% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats. (Politico, 12/5/23; News Office release)

Paul Musgrave, Professor of Political Science, describes how global brands are often forced to pick sides in times of war. “The more global a brand becomes, the more likely it is to be entangled in international disputes, and the more picking a side comes with costs, even for the softest of products like fizzy drinks or ice cream,” he writes. (Foreign Policy, 11/24/23)