Stephen J. Farnsworth

  • Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the UMW Center for Leadership and Media Studies, University of Mary Washington
Vice President Kamala Harris greets President Joe Biden on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 19, 2024. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Can a political party get any attention when its rival holds a national convention? Yes, but it’s not easy

The best an opposing party can hope for during convention week is some sort of misfire. But those are rare in this era of scripted conventions designed to minimize controversy.
Former President Donald Trump speaks in Des Moines, Iowa, shortly after his victory in the Iowa Caucus on Jan. 15, 2024. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Iowa was different this time – even if the outcome was as predicted

From the ‘static’ polls to Trump’s ‘dissing’ of voters, two political scientists look at the Iowa caucus and see more than just the fact that Trump won it, resoundingly.

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