Politics & Government

Prejudice and Voting in the 2012 Presidential Election

[05.13.2013]

The election of the first African American president in 2008 spurred a renewed interest in the relationship between racial prejudice and voting behavior. But what happens when we begin to expand the definition of prejudice?

Figuring Faith | Mark Sanford’s Political Redemption

[05.08.2013]

In this week’s “Figuring Faith,” I explore data on Americans’ attitudes toward politicians’ moral indiscretions, and conclude that Sanford’s recent victory in a special election for the House of Representatives seat he held in the 1990s before he was elected governor shows just how far political redemption can stretch

Our Corner | Christians Divided on Morality, Legalization of Marijuana Use

[05.06.2013]

In a new column for Religion & Politics, I sketch the generational differences that divided Christians on the morality and legalization of marijuana use.

Border Security: The Bipartisan Glue

[04.22.2013]

Americans’ perceptions of deportations influence their support for a path to citizenship for immigrants currently living in the country illegally, which make have an impact on bipartisan support for the new immigration bill.

The Political Potential of Evangélicos

[04.10.2013]

Can evangélicos become an important force in American politics?

Our Corner | Clash of Cultures: White Evangelical Protestants, Millennials, and the Future of the GOP

[03.26.2013]

In a column for Huffington Post Politics, I lay out a significant challenge for the Republican Party: the gap between Millennials (age 18-29) and white evangelical Protestants on controversial issues like same-sex marriage.

Graphic of the Week | A Post Civil Rights Era?

[02.27.2013]

This week’s graphic, which coincides with a day of arguments before the Supreme Court about the constitutionality of a crucial section of the Voting Rights Act, examines Americans’ perspectives on discrimination and government action.

Latinos and the Tea Party

[02.20.2013]

In the wake of Obama’s strong performance among Hispanic voters in the 2012 election, the Tea Party Express, the largest Tea Party organization, has announced that it will start an outreach campaign to attract Hispanic voters.

Gaps Between Hispanics, Republicans on Issues Addressed in the State of the Union

[02.13.2013]

Despite the GOP’s recent efforts to reach out to Hispanic Americans, public opinion data shows that Republicans and Hispanic Americans tend to disagree on the issues mentioned in President Obama’s State of the Union address and Senator Marco Rubio’s response.

Abraham Lincoln: America’s Favorite Unaffiliated President?

[02.13.2013]

On the anniversary of the birth of one of the most respected presidents in American history, many would likely be surprised to learn this piece of Lincoln trivia: our 16th President was one of only four religiously unaffiliated heads of state in American history.