An Election Like No Other!

As we round the turn into the final lap of this extraordinary 2024 election, join us for special insights on the key races from two of our favorite political experts!

October 22: Dr. Sean Theriault
For the first half of 2024, Americans were distraught over the prospects of a second straight election featuring Joe Biden and Donald Trump. But with Biden’s decision to withdraw, Democrats’ quick coalescing around Kamala Harris, the assassination attempts against Donald Trump, and a memorable debate, the races took on new life for both the presidential contest and the Congressional races that will determine control of the Senate and the House. Professor Sean Theriault, a nationally recognized expert on Congress, will share his insights on where those Congressional races stand now and what we might expect.

October 29: Dr. Richard Murray
With voting well underway in most states and surveyors wrapping up their final pre-election polls, what is the state of the Trump-Harris presidential race a week before voting ends on November 5th? Will voter turnout exceed the modern record set in 2020? Can Donald Trump’s advantage on key issues like managing the border and economy offset Kamala Harris’ more favorable personal rating and appeal on reproductive rights? What does this bitterly fought election portend for the future of American politics? We’ll discuss, if not answer, these and other questions as the long 2023-24 presidential campaign enters its final stretch.

Dr. Sean Theriault is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin and a leading scholar of American political institutions, particularly the U.S. Congress. He has received numerous teaching awards and has published five books and numerous articles on the U.S. Congress and other political topics.

Dr. Richard Murray taught political science at the University of Houston from 1966 until his retirement in 2020 and remains a Senior Research Associate at the University’s Hobby Center for Public Policy, specializing in political parties and elections, polling operations, surveys, and national, state and local political developments.