Elections 2012

Alan Kuperman discusses how voters weigh foreign policy issues in the coming election.

Eric McDaniel discusses how religious institutions become involved in politics and how they will influence Black political behavior in this election.

Luis Zayas, Dean of the School of Social Work discusses the importance of Hispanic voters in current and future elections.

Sherri Greenberg is lecturer and director of the Center for Politics and Governance at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She served for 10 years as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, completing her final term in January 2001. Her expertise includes state and national campaign politics, electronic government, and public finance and budgeting. In this video, Greenberg discusses the pros and cons of Ron Paul as an electable candidate for the Republican presidential primaries. She also delves into the unique political relationship between Ron Paul and his son Rand Paul, also an elected Republican.

In the Elections 2012 blog, experts from across The University of Texas at Austin weigh in on the politics and the issues, from the economy, the environment and demographics to immigration, energy, social change and more. In this first video conversation of our elections series, Department of Government faculty member Sean Theriault discusses the rise of Newt Gingrich as a viable presidential candidate for the Republican Party with James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at The University of Texas at Austin. Theriault, drawing on his ongoing research for his book in progress, "The Gingrich Senators", reveals how Gingrich's accomplishments as a political tactician during his congressional career are now being reflected in his presidential run. Learn more about our faculty experts: Sean Theriault, associate professor of government in the university's College of Liberal Arts, studies American political institutions, primarily U.S. Congress and party polarization. He is researching the rise of the so-called "Gingrich Senators" and their influence on the U.S. Senate. James Henson is a lecturer in the Department of Government and directs the Texas Politics Project, which seeks to educate students and Texans about state government, politics and history through a dynamic website and speaker series. It also conducts regular statewide issues and political polls. The Texas Politics Project is The University of Texas at Austin's home for the UT/Texas Tribune Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion on issues and elections in Texas.

In the Elections 2012 blog, experts from across The University of Texas at Austin weigh in on the politics and the issues, from the economy, the environment and demographics to immigration, energy, social change and more. In this second video conversation of our elections series, Department of Government faculty member Jason Casellas discusses the impact of Hispanic voters as a growing force on presidential election strategy. Learn more about our faculty experts: Jason Casellas, assistant professor of government in the university's College of Liberal Arts, specializes in American politics, with specific research and teaching interests in Latino politics, legislative politics, and state and local politics. James Henson is a lecturer in the Department of Government and directs the Texas Politics Project, which seeks to educate students and Texans about state government, politics and history through a dynamic website and speaker series. It also conducts regular statewide issues and political polls. The Texas Politics Project is The University of Texas at Austin's home for the UT/Texas Tribune Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion on issues and elections in Texas.

In this video, Paul Stekler offers his analysis of political campaign advertisements, focusing on the Republican primaries. A professor in the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and department chair of Radio-Television-Film, Stekler is a nationally recognized documentary filmmaker whose critically acclaimed works focus on state and national campaign politics and elections. Stekler is one of dozens of experts at the university who can speak to issues regarding the 2012 elections.

Sherri Greenberg is lecturer and director of the Center for Politics and Governance at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She served for 10 years as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, completing her final term in January 2001. Her expertise includes state and national campaign politics, electronic government, and public finance and budgeting. In this video, Greenberg explains why Texas Governor Rick Perry decided to continue to compete in the South Carolina primary after coming in fifth in the Iowa caucus.

Jeremi Suri, the Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, is an expert on U.S. nation-building, modern international relations, contemporary foreign policy and protest and dissident movements. The author of Liberty's Surest Guardian: American Nation-Building from the Founders to Obama, Suri looks to America's history to see both what it has to offer to failed states around the world and what the nation should avoid. Suri is one of dozens of experts at the university who can speak to issues regarding the 2012 elections.

Sherri Greenberg is lecturer and director of the Center for Politics and Governance at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She served for 10 years as a member of the Texas House of Representatives, completing her final term in January 2001. Her expertise includes state and national campaign politics, electronic government, and public finance and budgeting. In this video, Greenberg explains the influence that money and the Super PACs (Political Action Committees) have had on the Republican candidates? campaigns leading up to and during the primaries.

In the Elections 2012 coverage on Know, experts from across The University of Texas at Austin weigh in on the politics and the issues, from the economy, the environment and demographics to immigration, energy, social change and more. In this seventh conversation of our elections series, McCombs School of Business Professor Robert Prentice discusses the impact of business ethics scandals on presidential election strategy. Robert Prentice is a lawyer with a focus on corporate governance, regulatory oversight and ethical decision making. He is an expert on securities fraud, insider trading, the value of securities regulation and the legal liability of accountants. He is the founding chair of the newly created Department of Business, Government and Society at the McCombs School. James Henson is a lecturer in the Department of Government and directs the Texas Politics Project, which seeks to educate students and Texans about state government, politics and history through a dynamic website and speaker series. It also conducts regular statewide issues and political polls. The Texas Politics Project is The University of Texas at Austin’s home for the UT/Texas Tribune Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion on issues and elections in Texas.

n this eighth conversation of our elections series, Assistant Professor Bethany Albertson discusses how political candidates use advertising to incite a range of emotions in voters and what voters can expect heading into the general election. Learn more about our faculty experts: Dr. Bethany Albertson is associate professor in the Department of Government. Her work explores political attitudes and persuasion. Her current research relies on surveys and experiments to examine the effect of religious appeals in American politics and the relationship between emotion and cognition, with a recent focus on the role of anxiety on attitudes towards immigration. James Henson is a lecturer in the Department of Government and directs the Texas Politics Project, which seeks to educate students and Texans about state government, politics and history through a dynamic website and speaker series. It also conducts regular statewide issues and political polls. The Texas Politics Project is The University of Texas at Austin’s home for the UT/Texas Tribune Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion on issues and elections in Texas.

In this sixth conversation of our elections series, visiting scholar Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto discusses the voting trends of women and how women are mobilizing around specific issues for this year’s election season. Learn more about our faculty experts: Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto is a Fellow at the Center for Politics and Governance at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, a visiting scholar in the Department of Government and director of communications for Latino Decisions. James Henson is a lecturer in the Department of Government and directs the Texas Politics Project, which seeks to educate students and Texans about state government, politics and history through a dynamic website and speaker series. It also conducts regular statewide issues and political polls. The Texas Politics Project is The University of Texas at Austin’s home for the UT/Texas Tribune Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion on issues and elections in Texas.

In this fifth conversation of our elections series, faculty member Tom Tweed discusses religion, its role in politics and its impact on this year’s election season. Learn more about our faculty experts: Tom Tweed is The Shive, Lindsay and Gray Professor of the History of Christianity in the Department of Religious Studies. Tweed specializes in religion in the Americas, Catholicism in America, Asian religions in the United States, Latino/a religion, method and theory in the study of religion, religion and transnationalism/geography. His historical, ethnographic and theoretical research, which includes six books and a six-volume series of historical documents, has been supported by several grants and fellowships, including three from the National Endowment for the Humanities. James Henson is a lecturer in the Department of Government and directs the Texas Politics Project, which seeks to educate students and Texans about state government, politics and history through a dynamic website and speaker series. It also conducts regular statewide issues and political polls. The Texas Politics Project is The University of Texas at Austin’s home for the UT/Texas Tribune Poll, a statewide survey of public opinion on issues and elections in Texas.

In this video, DeFrancesco Soto discusses the similarities between consumer marketing and political marketing, as well as how political ad campaigns might use micro-targeting to reach specific demographics. Dr. Victoria M. DeFrancesco Soto is a Fellow at the Center for Politics and Governance at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, a visiting scholar in the Department of Government and director of communications for Latino Decisions.