Despite expectations that the presidential primary would be sewn up by now, there is competitiveness and high drama in both the Republican and Democratic races, putting Wisconsin voters in the national limelight. Wisconsin voters will also choose a State Supreme Court justice, which will affect the balance of the court. The major local race is for County Executive, with two Democrats vying for a spot that has recently been a springboard to the governor’s mansion. A number of UW-Milwaukee faculty have expertise that can inform news reports on these issues and related matters. For assistance, contact Greg Walz-Chojnacki, 414-229-4454.
Kathleen Dolan, women in politics
kdolan@uwm.edu
(414) 202-6399 (cell)
A professor of political science, Dolan’s research covers electoral behavior, women and politics, public opinion, and political participation. She is the author most recently of “When Does Gender Matter?: Women Candidates and Gender Stereotypes in American Elections.” Her views on gender and politics have been widely published in such outlets as The Hill, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The National Journal, and The New Republic.
Thomas Holbrook, voter behavior
holbroot@uwm.edu
(414) 939-4207 (Google voice to text)
Holbrook, Wilder Crane Professor of Government at UWM, can talk about voter behavior, political campaigns, campaign spending and forecasting national elections. He is the author of “Do Campaigns Matter?” and “Altered State: Changing Populations, Changing Parties, and the Transformation of the American Political Landscape” (forthcoming). He was most recently interviewed by The Daily Caller about Donald Trump’s unexpected appeal to voters.
Mordecai Lee, Wisconsin Politics
mordecai@uwm.edu
(414) 227-3282 (office)
(414) 962-0270 (residence)
(414) 559-0271 (cell)
A professor of urban planning, Lee served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1972 to 1976. He appears frequently in local and state media to discuss Wisconsin policies and politics, and can speak to Wisconsin’s history as a swing state.
Paru Shah, race and politics
shahp@uwm.edu
(651) 324-8797 (cell)
An associate professor of political science, Shah works in the areas of race, ethnicity and politics, urban governance and politics, public policy analysis and outcomes in the educational arena. Her article, “The Centrality of Racial and Ethnic Politics in American Cities and Towns,” will appear in the forthcoming “Oxford Handbook on Local Politics.” A member of the Shorewood school board, she also has personal experience in electoral politics.
Kathryn Olson, presidential debates
kolson@uwm.edu
(414) 229-6396 (office)
(414) 229-4261 (departmental office)
A professor of communication, Olson has written extensively about political rhetoric, and has a special interest in presidential debates. In recent election cycles, her views have been sought by The Christian Science Monitor, Reuters, C-Span, and Gannett. She discusses her work in this brief video.