A new UMass Amherst poll finds Americans’ views softening on the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and a growing belief that the nation should “move on” from the attack on our democracy. “In the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, many in the mainstream media and prominent elected officials described the event as an ‘insurrection’ and those responsible for the violence that day as ‘insurrectionists,’ embracing a term used to describe an organized and violent uprising against one’s own government,” says Tatishe Nteta, Provost Professor of Political Science and Director of the UMass Poll. “However, the majority of Americans when reflecting on Jan. 6 have viewed the event as a ‘riot’ and the participants as ‘rioters.’” (WCVB [redistributed by WISN12 Milwaukee, KOAT Albuquerque, KOCO Oklahoma City, WLWT5 Cincinnati, MyNBC5 Burlington, Vt., among others] 1/11/23; News Office release)

A 2019 article in The Atlantic co-written by Professor of Political Science Ray La Raja is cited in a Globe opinion piece calling for a greater role by political party leaders in selecting candidates who run for election. La Raja suggested that candidates be required to obtain petition signatures from elected members of their party, just as they must obtain signatures from voters, before appearing on the ballot. (The Boston Globe, The Hill, 1/10/23)

The UMass poll finds Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has gained ground on former president Trump in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination. “DeSantis appears to be the choice among the more establishment-oriented Republicans,” says Raymond La Raja, Professor of Political Science and Co-Director of the UMass Poll. “In a head-to-head matchup between DeSantis and Trump among Republican voters, the outcome is basically even. However, older people, the more educated and the wealthy prefer DeSantis by solid margins.” (MassLive, 1/12/23; The Hill, 1/18/23, News Office release)

At #6 is a January story by Political Science Ph.D. student Lane Cuthbert and Associate Professor Alexander Theodoridis reporting UMass Poll findings about Republicans’ belief that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election. At #8 is a March article co-authored by Elizabeth Sharrow, Professor of History and Public Policy, about states that are denying medical care to trans youth. (The Washington Post, 12/31/22)