Faculty experts: 2022 Midterm elections
Posted on: October 26, 2022; Updated on: October 26, 2022
By Alexis Watts, AlexisWatts@sc.edu
Early voting is underway and South Carolina voters will make decisions for many key races, including governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and even two proposed state constitutional amendments. The University of South Carolina’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs has compiled a list of faculty experts.
To arrange interviews, contact the staff member listed with entry below. Direct all other questions to Alexis Watts, AlexisWatts@sc.edu.
Politics
Public opinion, political polling and surveys: Robert Oldendick is a political science professor and expert on American and South
Carolina politics, elections and polling. He can discuss public opinion, political
polling and survey and polling methods and response, including the effect that new
technologies have on nonresponse.
News contact: Bryan Gentry, brgentry@sc.edu.
Jacob Long is an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
The big question this year is if polling will repeat the same errors of recent elections.
An expert in political communication, he can discuss the data science behind polling
– how data is analyzed, how it’s shared and what to make of it. Long can also speak
on other issues at the intersection of media and politics, including the correlation
between news coverage and polling performance and how political comedy shows such
as The Daily Show influence news consumption.
News contact: J. Scott Parker, j.scottparker@sc.edu.
Charles Bierbauer, Former College of Information and Communications dean is a former
political reporter and White House correspondent for CNN, where he covered presidential
campaigns from 1984 to 2000. He has been sought by national and regional media for
his insightful commentary on political campaigns.
News contact: Alexis Watts, AlexisWatts@sc.edu.
Racial and ethnic politics: Todd Shaw is an associate professor of political science and African American Studies.
He is an expert in American racial and ethnic politics, African American politics,
urban and local politics and citizen participation. He and several co-editors wrote
a book for NYU Press on African American politics in the post-Obama era. He researches
questions of African American attitudes, ideology, voting behavior and civic engagement
but can speak to American voting patterns and public policy more broadly. He is a
past president of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists. He joined
the UofSC faculty in 2003 and co-wrote Uneven Roads: An Introduction to Racial and
Ethnic Politics in 2015.
News contact: Bryan Gentry, brgentry@sc.edu.
Activist groups, social media and voting: Candice Edrington is an assistant professor for the School of Journalism and Mass
Communications. Polls continue to indicate that the economy and inflation are at the
top of voters' minds, but several other issues also are vying for voters' attention—
racism, immigration, global warming, foreign policy and more. Edrington’s research
explores the intersections of strategic communication, social movements, social media,
activism, and advocacy through a public relations lens. She analyzes the main objectives
of social movements and how they communicate that to not only participants of the
movement, but those outside of the movement by looking at the message strategies used
on social media platforms and other forms of digital technology. Edrington can discuss
how activist groups are working to mobilize voters through social media.
News contact: Alexis Watts, AlexisWatts@sc.edu.
Social influence on political behaviors: Elizabeth Connors, an assistant professor of political science, studies how people’s
social surroundings influence their political values, opinions, and behaviors. Some
of her recent research looks at political anger and its role in polarization. She
can also comment on "social desirability bias," in which polls are skewed by people
replying to polls based on social factors or pressures and then vote differently.
News contact: Bryan Gentry, brgentry@sc.edu.
State government, parties, campaigns, and polarization: Josh Meyer-Gutbrod is an instructor of political science who researches the impact
of national partisan polarization on the different levels of elected institutions
within the American system. Conventional wisdom suggests that political polarization
looks the same at the national and local level, but his research explores differences
driven by the competition between national agendas and distinct local concerns. He
can polarization as it relates to state governments, campaigns and elections.
News contact: Bryan Gentry, brgentry@sc.edu.
Voting behavior and political geography: David Darmofal, an associate professor in political science, researches political
behavior, political geography, American political development and political methodology.
News contact: Bryan Gentry, brgentry@sc.edu.
Economy
Joseph Von Nessen, a research economist in the Division of Research at the Darla Moore
School of Business, conducts research and comparative research related to South Carolina’s
economy. Polls show that the economy and inflation are at the top of voters' minds.
Inflation is still at a 40-year high and voters are being squeezed between higher
prices for consumer goods and interest rates that have been increased in hopes of
reducing those prices. In addition to economic impact studies and forecasting data,
he compiles the annual economic outlook for South Carolina. Von Nessen, a native South
Carolinian, can discuss South Carolina’s economy and the economic drivers and industry
clusters throughout the state’s regions, particularly since the Great Recession in
2008.
News contact: Marjorie Duffie, marjorie.duffie@moore.sc.edu.
Douglas Woodward is an economics professor and director of the Division of Research
at the Darla Moore School of Business. He is an expert on the U.S. economy, particularly
in South Carolina. A native of Rochester, New York, he has taught at the university
since 1987. He has conducted extensive economic impact studies related to South Carolina
and companies doing business in the Palmetto State. Woodward has extensive experience
working with national media and can discuss South Carolina’s economy, particularly
as it relates to the election cycle.
News contact: Marjorie Duffie, marjorie.duffie@moore.sc.edu
Resources
South Carolina visuals: South Carolina Political Collections in the Hollings Library offers an excellent visual
backdrop for media interviews. The library is home to manuscripts, electronic records
and audiovisual materials documenting contemporary government and politics, and its
collections include those of South Carolina leaders and political parties.
News contact: Nicole Carrico, carrico@mailbox.sc.edu.
Kennedy Greenhouse Studio: Located just off the University of South Carolina’s historic Horseshoe and only two blocks from the State House, Kennedy Greenhouse Studio is a turn-key production studio capable of sending live video feed (rates vary based on airtime and connection requested). Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. After-hour times are available upon request. As an educational studio, precedence is given to student shows and class activities. For more information about equipment, rates and reservations, contact Britt Hogg, bhogg@mailbox.sc.edu.
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