Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth

Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth shared his political expertise recently with a variety of media outlets, including Newsweek, Virginia Business, WTOP and more.  In an article titled “Five Senate Seats Most Likely to Flip from Republicans to Democrats in 2026,” Farnsworth told Newsweek the Senate “seems more likely to remain in Republican hands than not.” “Democrats have good pickup opportunities in NC and ME—and perhaps an outside chance in Ohio. Even so, a very good election night for Democrats in the upper chamber would only bring the Senate to 50-50, with a Republican VP serving as the tie-breaker,” he said. Read more in Newsweek. 

Other media mentions for Farnsworth include:

Who will replace Kenyan McDuffie on DC Council? Here’s what we know so far (WJLA)
“You’re not going to see a lot of overlap perhaps with a Republican elected in the District and the Republican majority in the House, but it will be an entree potentially that would be greater than say, the Independent choice if the District goes in that direction,” explained Stephen Farnsworth, PhD, a University of Mary Washington professor of political science and international affairs who also heads the university’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies. Read more in WJLA.

Youngkin’s term as governor marked by economic wins, political division (Virginia Business)
“Youngkin did what he had to do to win the governor’s election four years ago: Be somewhat … not critical of Trump, but also not full MAGA,” says Stephen Farnsworth, director for the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies. “As a candidate, he successfully threaded that needle. As governor, Youngkin became much more conservative than his campaign narrative would have suggested.” Read more in Virginia Business.

Best of 2025: Elections (FXBG Advance)
Abigail Spanberger ran away with the governor’s race in 2025, winning by a double-digit margin — rare in a state that is often considered “purple.” Stephen Farnsworth, a nationally recognized political observer and a professor at the University of Mary Washington, wrote in the Advance that the victory was the result of so-called second-wave suburbanization. Read more in FXBG Advance.

Who has Virginia’s Governor-elect appointed to her cabinet? (WTOP)
“You do see a range of representation across the geographical and political diversity of Virginia,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “You see a vision that is consistent with the centrist messaging of the campaign.”

Virginia Gov. elect Abigail Spanberger fills cabinet, taps northern Virginia lawmakers (WSET)
Political scientists Stephen Farnsworth and Larry Sabato said it’s smart for Spanberger to have people from the legislature on her team. “Which is really, really important for a governor who didn’t serve in the legislature herself,” said Farnsworth. “The challenge of dealing with the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia has vexed many governors of both parties over the years, and so the more you can bring some of that expertise and connection in-house, the better off you are.” Read more from WSET.

What to watch as Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly returns to Richmond (Virginia Mercury; Yahoo News)
“This is not a normal opening act for a legislative session,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Spanberger is setting the stage for an aggressive year one.” Read more from Virginia Mercury.

Tight money, big Democrat majority in House will shape 2026 General Assembly (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
In Virginia, Speakers of the House have a lot of power in the way they steer bills to particular committees, and the way bills they don’t like can land before one of the gatekeeping subcommittees that meet at 7:30 a.m., according to Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “You ignore your 10 extremists and just govern,” just as former Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, did when he had super- and near-super majorities, Farnsworth said. Read more from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The GOP Senate seats most likely to flip (MSN; Knewz)
According to Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, the Senate “seems more likely to remain in Republican hands than not.” Read more from MSN.

Polls show likelihood Dems will flip the House (MSN)
Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington said Democrats are “very likely to take over the House,” citing strong candidate recruitment and Republican retirements. Farnsworth added that while Republicans may gain advantages through redistricting in some states, Democrats have countered those efforts in blue states, limiting the overall effect. Read more from MSN.

Va. Republicans split over extending Va. Republicans split over extending health care subsidies (The Free Lance-Star; Insurance News Net)
“The government has opened, but the Democratic narrative is still driving Washington politics,” said Steve Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. Read more from The Free Lance-Star.

Anti-“ICE” Protests Spread Across the U.S. (CTV News)
“It doesn’t seem that the Trump administration is looking at these protests as anything other than a reason to increase the efforts that ICE and other federal agencies are engaged in,” said Stephen Farnsworth. See on CTV News.

What to watch as Virginia’s 2026 General Assembly returns to Richmond (FXBG Advance; Williamsburg Yorktown Daily; Northern Virginia Daily)
“This is not a normal opening act for a legislative session,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Spanberger is setting the stage for an aggressive year one.” Read more from FXBG Advance.

US Alliances and Rivalries (BFM 89.9)
Philip See sits down with Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Mary Washington to talk about the state of US foreign relations in the wake of the attack on Venezuela and the capture of its President Nicolas Maduro, especially how the White House is viewing its alliances and rivalries. Read more from BFM.

Abortion, redistricting, data centers: What Va. lawmakers will prioritize during 2026 GA session (WTOP)
The focus, according to University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth, could be on making it easier to buy a house and increasing the minimum wage. “There are key issues with respect to what the legislature can do, though, because of the financial challenges Virginia faces,” Farnsworth told WTOP.

Virginia Republicans split over extending health care subsidies (Insurance News Net)
“The government has opened, but the Democratic narrative is still driving Washington politics,” said Steve Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington.