Inside Political Science

We can land a rover on Mars but we can’t count votes. That’s what Kirby and Todd say this week on “Inside Political Science” as they discuss voting rules, turnout and mobilization. At this point in the election cycle, will any voters change their minds? Do “hate ads” work, and are social media influencers… influencing? Will undecided voters… decide? Will Springfield, Ohio’s dogs and cats… be eaten? (Hopefully not, and yes they do talk about it.) Plus, political violence, problematic politics, mobilizing young men vs. young women, why the world is so tough to predict and the (productive?) use of misinformation. They also discuss the reality of having 50 separate elections and why that may affect how long it takes to get final results. And, overall, at the end of the day, does your vote really matter? For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Who looked more presidential during the debate? Who pivoted like a point guard? Did we learn anything? Who squirmed more? And who lost the meme war? Kirby and Todd analyze every aspect of the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris like only political scientists can. They discuss if either candidate really answered the questions they were asked and who got distracted. Find out who they think “won” the debate - or if anyone should even be crowned the winner. Plus, is it surprising how many people watched and how long they watched? Do the moderators deserve criticism? And do recent endorsements from Taylor Swift, Robert Kennedy and Walz family members matter? Finally, did the debate change anyone’s mind? With less than two months until election day, we’re here to provide important analysis you won’t hear on the news. For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Defense isn’t America’s number one expense anymore - paying for the national debt is taking over the top spot. Economics professor Jonathan Meer joins Kirby and Todd to diagnose the national debt and grade economic proposals from the Trump and Harris campaigns (find out why he’s giving F’s to both). Plus, Dr. Meer explains that purchasing power is up, even if it’s hard to believe, analyzes why stores do actually care what you think about their prices and dives into why some issues feel like “future America’s problem.” For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

She’s been America’s VP for three years - but how much do we really know about her? And who wins the race to define her first - Republicans or Democrats? In this episode, Todd welcomes guest host Dr. Justin Vaughn, a political science professor at Coastal Carolina University. They discuss positive and negative messages about Harris, overall campaign messaging, polling, the idea of “vibe voting,” the Twitterati, why no one pays attention in the summer, and bread-and-butter policy issues. Plus, why the Trump campaign is pivoting and why the Harris campaign is running a race that Biden couldn’t. For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Tim Walz as VP candidate is like Cole Hocker’s win in the Olympic 1500m: a surprise. In this Inside Political Science mini-cast, Kirby and Todd discuss how Walz is viewed by the public and by those in Washington. They explain why this choice shows the whole presidential race is really about the Midwest, how Walz appeals to Middle America and why this doesn’t necessarily help on an electoral college map. And if Walz is considered a progressive and a small-town guy at the same time, who will come along to push him off the fence? For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Everyone talks about Israel. But do you know the differences between American Jews and Israeli Jews? Author Guy Golan joins Kirby to discuss his new book about Jewish voting behavior and foreign relations between the U.S. and Israel. They also hit on evangelical support for Israel, antisemitism, and pro-Palestinian college campus protests. But first, if you’re a political candidate, be careful what you say! Todd and Kirby discuss the variables Kamala Harris is considering as she makes her vice presidential pick. Should she pick someone with a great economic record, someone who’s tough on crime, or someone who has differing views on immigration? And the most important question - does it really matter? For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Enthusiasm among Democrats is high… but will it last? In this Inside Political Science mini-cast, Kirby shares the three things he’s watching after President Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential campaign. He discusses why he is surprised at the enthusiasm for presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, why you shouldn’t look at polls anytime soon and why you’ll see a lot more attention paid to the vice presidential nominee than maybe you should. For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

How does an assassination attempt affect the election, and where do we go from here? Todd welcomes Dr. Thomas Flaherty to help him dissect the attempted assassination of former President Trump, including the White House response, messaging from both campaigns, the Republican National Convention and how these events could affect the election. Plus, they dive into globalism: why it’s controversial, why it’s more relevant than ever and how Biden and Trump approach the topic. Disclaimer: this episode was recorded on Monday, July 15 at 3 p.m. Information about the attempted assassination of former President Trump and the Republican National Convention may not be up to date when you're listening. For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Does the Supreme Court alignment affect votes? The data says yes - but only for conservative-leaners. Will that change for liberal-leaners this year? Todd is back from his time in Europe and he welcomes constitutional law professor Dr. James Rogers to talk about recent Supreme Court decisions and how they affect campaign strategy. The pair discuss abortion, federal agency oversight, whether the Supreme Court will get involved in the 2024 election and why Europeans are so confused by our government structure. “Inside Political Science” dives deep into topics like this every other week to make you more informed the next time you vote. For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

An age-old question (literally): do our representatives actually represent us? While Todd is still away with his group of Aggies abroad, Kirby is joined by Keith Gåddie, a political science professor at Texas Christian University. The two discuss the Hunter Biden conviction, Trump’s VP race and electoral age limits. For the main deep dive, Keith and Kirby break down congressional elections and their lack of competition. Learn how southern politics has evolved over the last eight years and hear what solutions the experts propose to make U.S. House and Senate seats more competitive. For more on this show and to listen to past episodes, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.