Pop Up: The Midterms

The midterm elections are likely to bring high drama, with vigorous contests to determine control of the U.S. Congress and fill numerous State and local offices, amid controversies about election methods and policies plus longstanding nationwide political polarization. Notably, the Texas election is shaping up to be the most interesting midterm contest in over three decades, with Democrats trying to break the longest losing streak in American statewide elections while challenging Republican control of the Texas House of Representatives.

Two long-time Houston Seminar speakers and political experts, Richard Murray and Sean Theriault, will join us to provide their well-informed and insightful previews and post-election wrap-ups on these complex scenarios.

Professor Richard Murray: State and Local Elections
Two Wednesdays: October 28 and November 11
Richard Murray taught at the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs for more  than 50 years, with a special focus on political parties, campaigns and elections. After retiring from teaching, he became a Senior Research Associate where he now focuses on demographic and political change in Texas. Through the years, he has consulted on more than 200 political campaigns, written numerous articles and books, and conducted more than 50 polls for local media.

Professor Sean Theriault: The U.S. Congress
Two Thursdays: October 29 and November 12
Sean Theriault is a nationally and internationally recognized expert on the U.S. Congress. He is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has received numerous teaching awards including Professor of the Year. He has published six books and numerous articles on Congress. He has also been a Visiting Scholar at the U.S. Library of Congress and has been invited to speak multiple times to Congressional staffers in Washington, DC and to teach in foreign countries including France, Germany and South Korea.