Ashley Koning,  director of Rutgers’ Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, is available for interviews ahead of, during and following the Democratic National Convention next week.

"The Democratic National Convention this year will be unlike any other in history, going entirely virtual all four nights and absent the kind of massive crowd a convention usually garners,” said Koning.  “The virtual nature continues the Biden campaign’s goals of showcasing responsibility and leadership in the midst of the pandemic, hoping it serves as a sharp contrast to the current administration.” 

“Many have labeled Biden’s campaign as ‘invisible’ up until recently, with some questioning and criticizing this choice, particularly in light of the pandemic and protests. Yet Biden’s actions - or rather, inactions - have shrewdly left the spotlight on the president, for better or worse, and has set an easy threshold for Biden himself to overcome as he begins to emerge. Biden’s strategy, moreover, seems to be working as seen in his comfortable lead over Trump in every national poll since April and his ability to be competitive in multiple battleground states." 

Koning, an expert in U.S. public opinion, survey design, polling trends and mass political behavior with a focus on gender and race, is an assistant research professor at Rutgers’ Eagleton Institute of Politics.

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Broadcast interviews: Rutgers University–New Brunswick has broadcast-quality TV and radio studios available for remote live or taped interviews with Rutgers experts. For more information, contact Neal Buccino [email protected]

ABOUT RUTGERS—NEW BRUNSWICK

Rutgers University–New Brunswick is where Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, began more than 250 years ago. Ranked among the world’s top 60 universities, Rutgers’s flagship university is a leading public research institution and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is home to internationally acclaimed faculty and has 12 degree-granting schools and a Division I Athletics program. It is the Big Ten Conference’s most diverse university. Through its community of teachers, scholars, artists, scientists, and healers, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.

ABOUT THE EAGLETON INSTITUTE OF POLITICS

The Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick studies how American politics and government work and change, analyzes how the democracy might improve, and promotes political participation and civic engagement. The Institute explores state and national politics through research, education, and public service, linking the study of politics with its day-to-day practice.