Good to Know: Public backlash Alexander Kustov - May 6, 2024 It’s important to understand the role – and risk – of backlash in today’s politics.
Kristi Noem really underestimated the bipartisan love for dogs Michael Tesler - May 3, 2024 Our furry friends are something that even Republicans and Democrats can agree on.
The surprising increase in child labor law violations Laura C. Bucci - May 1, 2024 In some states, conservative lawmakers are easing the rules designed to protect younger workers.
The questionable politics behind Biden’s student loan debt relief John Sides - May 1, 2024 Enacting policies that benefit people doesn’t necessarily earn their vote.
Why the House Speaker finally greenlit Ukraine aid Sarah Binder - April 23, 2024 There are underappreciated factors behind Rep. Mike Johnson’s shift.
Partisan election officials don’t advantage their own party John Sides - April 18, 2024 New research shows that nonpartisan election administration may be the norm.
States are still trying to ban trans youths from sports. Here’s what you need to know. Elizabeth Sharrow, Jaime Schultz, Lindsay Parks Pieper, Anna Baeth, and Danne Diamond - April 10, 2024 State legislators have proposed dozens of bills targeting trans children. What’s at stake?
The latest on SB4, the Texas push to control the U.S. border Andrea Silva - April 9, 2024 State efforts to override federal immigration policies tend to backfire, research shows.
America is less polarized by race – but more polarized about race John Sides and Michael Tesler - April 3, 2024 The pro-GOP shift among people of color is making racial attitudes more important to politics, not less.
What polls can and cannot tell us about the 2024 elections 🎧 Erik Voeten, John Sides, and Michael Tesler - March 28, 2024 John Sides and Michael Tesler talk about what to expect leading up to the Nov. 5 vote.
What the Trump/Biden dueling rhetoric at the U.S. border tells us Andrea Silva, Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, and Eric Gonzalez Juenke - March 25, 2024 Both presidential campaigns want to make immigration policy a top issue in the 2024 election.
Trump’s attacks on Fani Willis failed to discredit her Nyron N. Crawford - March 21, 2024 My research explores why targeting Black officials, both personally and professionally, helps mobilize Black voters.
How much trouble is Joe Biden really in? John Sides and Michael Tesler - March 19, 2024 There’s precedent for an election-year boost – but it’s not guaranteed.
In 2024, political violence against Black women is a big threat Nadia E. Brown - March 18, 2024 Women’s History Month is good time to thank our Black women in office – and keep them safe.
Trump had the nomination sewn up before a single vote was cast John Sides - March 7, 2024 Two graphs show his dominance in the “invisible primary.”
The puzzle of Americans’ economic pessimism isn’t a puzzle at all John Sides - February 13, 2024 There’s a potential resolution to the big "vibes" debate.
Right-wing attacks haven’t dented Taylor Swift’s popularity Michael Tesler - February 8, 2024 Public opinion about the pop star still isn’t that polarized.
Did Biden have the authority to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen? Andrew Rudalevige - January 30, 2024 Let’s look at the Constitution, the War Powers Resolution, and what might authorize or constrain military action.
Good Playlist: Immigration podcasts ▶️ Andrea Silva - January 26, 2024 Hear about everything from individual immigrants' stories to the latest in policy debates.
Almost all Republicans will vote for Trump this fall Michael Tesler - January 25, 2024 Ignore recent exit polls to the contrary. Minds will change by November.
Good to Know: Continuing resolutions Sarah Binder - January 22, 2024 Here’s why Congress can’t kick the habit.
Iowa showed how Trump has redefined conservatism Michael Tesler - January 17, 2024 Trump performed much better among “very conservative” caucus voters than he did in 2016.
Good to Know: Hostage taking and the rise in hostage diplomacy Danielle Gilbert - January 17, 2024 Media stories spotlight the high stakes – and the pressure to bring hostages home.
Good to Know: The Federal Reserve and U.S. monetary policy Alexandra Guisinger - January 15, 2024 The Fed is getting some good press. So what exactly is the Fed, and what does it do?
Americans support DEI – for now, at least Michael Tesler - January 8, 2024 In 2023, polling consistently showed strong support for diversity, equity, and inclusion. That could change in 2024.
Public support for the death penalty is still at its low John Sides - January 3, 2024 These 3 graphs explain why.
The 2023 Week In One Song mixtape: recap + remix ▶️ Christopher Federico - December 28, 2023 From climate change to George Santos, in song.
Why Congress’s 2023 was so dismal Sarah Binder - December 26, 2023 And be ready for a repeat in 2024.
U.S. political leaders face a drumbeat of violent threats John Sides - December 21, 2023 In a new survey, experts are concerned about how this violence is eroding democracy.
Will Angela Alsobrooks have a problem with Black men voters? Nadia E. Brown - December 20, 2023 The Black woman candidate for Senate may face resistance from a group often expected to vote for Democrats.
How Republicans made a U-turn on impeachment Andrew Rudalevige - December 16, 2023 2023 isn’t 2019, it turns out.
What retired Republican members of Congress really think Sarah Binder and Alexander Theodoridis - December 13, 2023 Their attitudes are surprisingly different from those of Republican voters and from current Republican lawmakers’ positions.
Trump’s GOP rivals are letting him off easy – again John Sides - December 12, 2023 Just as in the 2016 primary, they’d rather attack each other than Trump.
Partisanship is not just negative partisanship John Sides - December 4, 2023 Hatred for the other party isn’t as prevalent or powerful as you may think.
Deion Sanders is really popular – among both political parties Danny Hayes - December 2, 2023 Maybe that's why he’s Sportsperson of the Year.
UK’s refugees-to-Rwanda plan could undermine Northern Ireland peace Stacie Goddard - December 1, 2023 A contested policy to send asylum seekers who arrive in the U.K. to Rwanda could rattle the Good Friday agreement.
How Native women in state legislatures are changing politics Nadia E. Brown and Elise Blasingame - November 30, 2023 From tribal sovereignty to missing and murdered Indigenous women, they’re responding to Native concerns.
Why Donald Trump is happy a Colorado judge called him an insurrectionist Andrew Rudalevige - November 28, 2023 What happens when Trump's 2024 candidacy confronts the 14th Amendment?
The myth of Mitt Romney’s 47% comment won’t die John Sides - November 27, 2023 No, this gaffe didn’t cost Romney the election.
Paying for the green transition Henry Farrell and Mark Blyth - November 27, 2023 If Trump and the Republicans win, it may be the end of the green transition in the U.S., argues Mark Blyth.
Who do voters actually blame for inflation? Nyron N. Crawford and Alexandra Guisinger - November 21, 2023 They see several causes at work – including some out of Biden’s control.
What the clean energy boom means for fossil fuel communities Jeremy Wallace, Dustin Tingley, and Alexander F. Gazmararian - November 21, 2023 'Uncertain Futures' reveals what makes policies and promises attractive to those upturned by a greener economy.
Negotiations over Ukraine are likely to fail. Here’s why. Stacie Goddard - November 17, 2023 Several factors can foil conflict negotiations. The Russian war in Ukraine has them all.
Will Congress shut down the government over aid to Israel and Ukraine? Elizabeth N. Saunders, Sarah Binder, Michael Tesler, Jordan Tama, and Andrew Payne - November 14, 2023 Four experts examine how U.S. foreign policy is dividing both Republicans and Democrats.
Transgender candidates win elections. Here’s why. Zein Murib - November 13, 2023 Some research suggests the wave of trans candidates’ wins is unexpected.
Why Republicans have no incentive to stop denying the 2020 election John Sides - November 8, 2023 Election denial is even more prevalent in Congress than it was three years ago.
Could a GOP president take over independent government agencies? Andrew Rudalevige - November 7, 2023 Here's what the law actually says.
Putin’s Russia navigates Middle East conflict and war in Ukraine Joshua Tucker, Samuel Greene, and Kathryn Stoner - November 6, 2023 Two experts discuss the broader impact of the Israel-Hamas war.
Why the U.S. border wall is getting more and more popular Michael Tesler - November 3, 2023 There are long and short-term factors behind this trend.
The Fall, ‘Repetition’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - October 27, 2023 Repetition in the U.S. House finally reaches its (perhaps temporary) end.
Does higher voter turnout even benefit Democrats anymore? John Sides - October 25, 2023 The diploma divide could change the conventional wisdom.
How Republicans can turn the House’s lights back on Sarah Binder - October 24, 2023 But electing a speaker won’t resolve the crisis.
Why journalists are losing their jobs in record numbers Danny Hayes - October 23, 2023 The Trump bump was fated to fade.
Are U.S.-China relations on the mend? Jeremy Wallace - October 19, 2023 Tensions remain, despite efforts to boost bilateral talks.
The political science behind the Bidens’ biting dogs Michael Tesler - October 11, 2023 Democrats are more permissive (pet) parents.
Everything you should know about the House speakership battle Sarah Binder, Ruth Bloch Rubin, Matt Glassman, and Molly Reynolds - October 10, 2023 Four political scientists have a ‘good chat’ about what happened – and what comes next.
Why Donald Trump should learn to love automatic voter registration John Sides - October 9, 2023 Making it easier to vote doesn’t hurt Republicans.
Republicans dislike their congressional leaders. Democrats like theirs. Michael Tesler - October 5, 2023 The Republicans' drama in Congress accurately reflects their constituents' opinions.
How did Congress avert a shutdown? Sarah Binder - October 2, 2023 Just-in-time legislating is Congress’s specialty.
What Feinstein’s trailblazing career taught us Nadia E. Brown - October 2, 2023 She changed politics – and political science.
The last time a death left such a thin Senate majority? 1954. Kim Yi Dionne - September 29, 2023 Study shows even a brief shift in partisan majority can affect legislation.
King Missile, ‘No Point’: The week in one song Christopher Federico - September 29, 2023 Another GOP debate, but is there a point?
Does Putin have a vote in U.S. elections? Elizabeth N. Saunders, Marina E. Henke, Nadiya Kostyuk, Rachel Myrick, and Kenneth Schultz - September 28, 2023 International relations scholars have a ‘good chat’ about U.S. elections and foreign policy.
Why do election losers accept their losses? Henry Farrell - September 27, 2023 What we learn from a minimalist view of democracy.
How conservatives are boosting RFK Jr.’s campaign Michael Tesler - September 26, 2023 Fox News coverage is a double-edged sword in a Democratic primary.
What does it take to depose the House speaker? Sarah Binder - September 25, 2023 Hint: There’s a secret list of speakers in waiting
Young Americans are dovish on China Alexandra Guisinger and Anurag Jain - September 25, 2023 They don’t prioritize TikTok regulation – or other measures pushing back against China.
Will foreign policy actually matter in the 2024 U.S. election? Elizabeth N. Saunders - September 21, 2023 It may not matter much to voters, but foreign policy is definitely on the ballot.
Biden’s hostage diplomacy, explained Danielle Gilbert - September 20, 2023 It's a marriage of concessions and sanctions.
The remarkable rise of isolationist Republicans Michael Tesler - September 20, 2023 Trump’s rise has turned back the clock to the 1930s.
Why Democrats won’t outmaneuver Tommy Tuberville Sarah Binder - September 20, 2023 There are risks to changing Senate rules.
‘Great power competition’ is a dangerous narrative for U.S. foreign policy Stacie Goddard - September 20, 2023 We need a more nuanced approach.
Why the president can’t just fire bureaucrats Andrew Rudalevige - September 20, 2023 The "unitary executive theory" has its limits
The misleading narrative behind the attack on public schools Zein Murib - September 20, 2023 A bit of history reveals the long-term forces at work.
It’s been a great nine years for TMC political science analysis Kim Yi Dionne, John Sides, and Henry Farrell - December 31, 2022 We’ve published thousands of articles. Here are some of our editors’ favorites.
These were our 10 most popular posts of 2022 E.J. Graff - December 30, 2022 The Monkey Cage 2022 roundup: Top 10
Leaders around the world made bold moves in 2022. They didn’t always succeed. Elizabeth N. Saunders - December 29, 2022 The TMC 2022 roundups: The international beat
Since 2018, Republicans have lost confidence in U.S. institutions Sean Kates, Joshua Tucker, and Jonathan Ladd - December 29, 2022 And Amazon is no longer one of America’s most beloved institutions, our research finds.
Goodbye to the 117th Congress, bookended by remarkable events Sarah Binder - December 27, 2022 The 2022 roundups: Congress’s year in review.
When voting rights are at risk, what threatens and what protects them? E.J. Graff - December 27, 2022 The TMC 2022 roundups: Voting rights
Making sense of the Supreme Court’s historic year Amanda Hollis-Brusky - December 26, 2022 The TMC 2022 roundups: U.S. Supreme Court
What did we learn from the 2022 U.S. midterm elections? Christopher Stout - December 26, 2022 The TMC 2022 roundups: U.S. elections
Just seeing a Fox News logo prompts racial bias, new research suggests Thomas Gift, Julie Norman, and Andrew M. Bell - December 23, 2022 It’s an example of what social scientists call ‘priming’
America and Europe are targeting Russia’s oil profits Henry Farrell and Agathe Demarais / Managing Editor - December 21, 2022 The oil price cap makes it harder for Russia to use oil money to buy weapons and pay soldiers.
Republican attacks on LGBTQ lives may have helped elect Democrats Andrew R. Flores - December 16, 2022 On abortion and LGBTQ issues, the U.S. is increasingly dividing into two nations: one that restricts and one that protects autonomy on sexuality and gender
Why authoritarian governments take hostages Danielle Gilbert - December 11, 2022 It’s not just a terrorist tactic any more.
Have we passed peak MAGA? Nick Rogers and Jason J. Jones - December 8, 2022 Data from Twitter bios suggests many of Trump’s biggest fans are backing away
Where did the GOP fall short? Its election spending offers some hints. Adam Sheingate - December 7, 2022 The NRSC spent a lot on digital ads in the midterms. My research suggests that may have been a miscalculation.
Did amateur candidates cost Republicans the U.S. Senate? Carlos Algara and Byengseon Bae / Managing Editor - December 7, 2022 A lot of amateurs ran for the Senate this year and lost. Here’s what you need to know.
Biden’s marijuana policy may change attitudes toward immigrants Melissa R. Michelson and Joe R. Tafoya - December 1, 2022 As states decriminalize cannabis, Republicans soften toward immigrants, our research finds
Do Twitter users want Musk to censure or ban offensive or threatening posts? Yannis Theocharis, Spyros Kosmidis, Jan Zilinsky, and Franziska Pradel - December 1, 2022 That depends on which group the tweets are attacking, our research suggests
For the first time, women will hold these four key congressional jobs Michele Swers / Managing Editor - November 30, 2022 Women will lead the House and Senate appropriations committees in a highly contentious time. Will they do their jobs any differently than men might?
Groundhogs, ‘Split (Pt. 1)’: The Week In One Song Christopher Federico - November 18, 2022 A split congressional decision
Russia now says it must ‘de-Satanize’ Ukraine. What? Chonlawit Sirikupt - November 17, 2022 The Kremlin seems to be trolling for support among U.S. voters on the far right
Liberal Democrats are more hawkish than you might think Emily Sullivan and Dina Smeltz - November 16, 2022 They’re the ones who endorse military support for Ukraine, Taiwan and other places when there’s a threat to human rights or democracy.
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s supporters don’t care what critics think Victor Wu - November 16, 2022 If Trump picks her as his running mate, she’ll have a bigger platform. And Republican leaders can’t dent her approval.
Yes, McCarthy is still House Republican leader. Who’s the new GOP whip? Matthew Green and Douglas Harris - November 16, 2022 Congressional leadership elections can have surprising results
Americans just elected two lesbian governors. Have attitudes changed that much? Tatishe Nteta, Ray La Raja, Maddi Hertz, Jesse Rhodes, Alexander Theodoridis, and Adam Eichen - November 15, 2022 Our research found sexism hurts candidates more than antigay attitudes, at least in Massachusetts
Tina Kotek was elected governor of Oregon, thanks to these 3 factors Rafael Silva-Molina and Christopher Stout - November 14, 2022 After an unexpectedly tight race, Oregon’s streak of Democratic governors continues.
Will Republicans weaponize intelligence if they take the House? Henry Farrell - November 10, 2022 An expert suggests they may be more bipartisan than you’d expect.