All experts below are available to provide analysis of the political, economic and social impacts of the midterm elections
Availability: All experts are available via phone or email at your convenience; most are also available at various times for TV segments from on-campus studio in Amherst, Mass.
To schedule TV interviews via on-campus VideoLink IP studio, please contact Jared Sharpe to arrange expert and studio availability – 413-545-3809 / jsharpe[at]umass.edu
To schedule phone or email interviews, please feel free to email contacts directly
Experts available for interview:
- Brian Schaffner & Raymond La Raja can comment on the results of the Massachusetts governor race and statewide ballot initiatives, and the New Hampshire U.S. Senate race. La Raja can also comment on the total overall campaign spending on the midterms, and campaign finance reform. Schaffner is a professor and chair of the political science dept. at UMass Amherst and director of the WBZ-UMass Amherst Poll (Contact: 413-545-0416 / [email protected]). La Raja is an associate professor of political science at UMass Amherst and is associate director of the WBZ-UMass Amherst Poll. (Contact: 413-545-6182 / laraja[at]polsci.umass.edu)
- Arindrajit Dube can comment on ballot initiatives to increase the minimum wage in Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota, as well as how the results of U.S. House & Senate races will impact the push to increase the federal minimum wage. Dube is an associate professor of economics at UMass Amherst and a widely-cited source on the minimum wage. (Contact: 413-545-2012 / adube[at]econs.umass.edu)
- M.V. Lee Badgett can discuss how the election results may impact the fight for same-sex marriage equality in key states across the country, and the effect these battles may have on the states’ economies. Badgett is a professor of economics at UMass Amherst and director of the Center for Public Policy and Administration, and she is a nationally-recognized expert on the economics of same-sex marriage. (Contact: lbadgett[at]pubpol.umass.edu - available for phone / email interviews only)
- Gerald Epstein and Gerald Friedman can discuss how the results of the elections may drive U.S. economic policy in the final two years of the Obama presidency, and how the next years’ federal budgets may be affected by the new makeup of the U.S. House and Senate. Friedman can also discuss the impact the elections may have on U.S. federal healthcare policy, especially the continued implementation of the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”). Epstein is a professor of economics and co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at UMass Amherst. (Contact: 413-545-3581 / gepstein[at]econs.umass.edu) Friedman is a professor of economics at UMass Amherst and an expert on the economics of healthcare policy. (Contact: gfriedma[at]econs.umass.edu)
- Tatishe Nteta can discuss minority turnout and participation in the midterms, as well as any issues that may relate to voting rights and potential voter disenfranchisement. Nteta is an assistant professor of political science at the UMass Amherst and an associate director of the WBZ-UMass Amherst Poll. (Contact: 413-545-3546 / nteta[at]polsci.umass.edu)
- Jesse Rhodes can comment on the potential effectiveness of a lame-duck President Obama in the final years of his presidency based on the makeup of Congress. Rhodes is an associate professor of political science with an expertise on the history of the American Presidency. (Contact: 413-545-6185 / jrhodes[at]polsci.umass.edu)
- Sheldon Goldman can comment on how the makeup of the new House and Senate will affect the President’s ability to nominate and confirm federal judges and cabinet appointments such as Attorney General. Goldman is a Distinguished Professor of Political Science at UMass Amherst and an expert on the politics of judicial selection and confirmation. (Contact: 413-545-6179 / sheldon.goldman[at]polsci.umass.edu)
- Eve Weinbaum can comment on the impact of various state races on the organized labor movement, especially in states like Wisconsin where Governor Scott Walker is facing his third election fight in four years after waging a protracted battle with various unions representing public employees. Weinbaum is an associate professor of labor studies and director of The Labor Relations and Research Center at UMass Amherst. (Contact: 413-577-0458 / weinbaum[at]lrrc.umass.edu) ***********Jared SharpeNews and Media RelationsUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstPhone: 413-545-3809Email: jsharpe[at]umass.eduwww.umass.edu/newsoffice
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