A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff
Professor of English Gary Richards
Professor of English Gary Richards recently presented the paper “Mapping the Geographies of The Optimist’s Daughter” at the International Eudora Welty Conference held at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi April 10-13, 2025. He was also part of the 45-minute staged reading of Welty’s “The Wanderers,” the culminating story of The Golden Apples, with Gary reading the parts of the narrator and King MacLain.
Professor of Political Science and Director of the UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth
Professor of Political Science and Director of the UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth recently presented a lecture, “The Policy Consequences of the 2024 Presidential Election (so far),” before the Fredericksburg area chapter of the American Association of University Women.
Other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
In Trump’s America, women trade progressive politics for pearls for the ‘tradwife’ idyll (The Straits Times Singapore)
Political science professor Stephen Farnsworth from the University of Mary Washington, and author of Presidential Communication And Character, said: “Politicians who are familiar with or supportive of the tradwife movement can build a devoted following among those adherents because these politicians are demonstrating that they understand and can connect with that element of the voting public. Paying attention to those communities, particularly energised ones, is becoming increasingly the reality of politics in this country. If you don’t reach out to your most energised potential supporters, you are undermining your ability to win a party nomination.”
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/in-trumps-america-women-trade-progressive-politics-for-pearls-for-the-tradwife-idyll
Virginia candidates raise over $20 million as 2025 election season heats up (The Northern Virginia Daily)
“I think it’s important to note that that funding gap will narrow now that the legislative session is over,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Now that the lieutenant governor is a Republican nominee, I imagine some Republicans were waiting for a resolution of the nomination process before weighing in with donations.”
https://www.nvdaily.com/virginia-candidates-raise-over-20-million-as-2025-election-season-heats-up/article_bba30fc4-486b-5a42-95ad-45949fc4b113.html
Democrats appear to turn on each other as generational divide brews within the party (Fox News)
“Beating the other side is more important to many voters than who exactly is representing their own team,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6371619214112
Virginia Democrats reap fundraising gains as they center campaigns around Elon Musk (CBS 4; The Minnesota Star Tribune; Greenwich Times; The REgister Citizen; MSN; AP News)
“Virginia elections are often about angry voters, and the most angry group of voters is the party who lost the White House the year before,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington. “Democrats are angry, and they’re putting their money where their irritation is.”
https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-virginia-democrats-reap-fundraising-gains-as-they-center-campaigns-around-elon-musk/
https://www.startribune.com/virginia-democrats-reap-fundraising-gains-as-they-center-campaigns-around-elon-musk/601333505
https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/politics/article/virginia-democrats-reap-fundraising-gains-as-they-20281809.php
https://www.registercitizen.com/news/politics/article/virginia-democrats-reap-fundraising-gains-as-they-20281809.php
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/virginia-democrats-reap-fundraising-gains-as-they-center-campaigns-around-elon-musk/ar-AA1D8hZn
https://apnews.com/article/virginia-elections-donors-report-elon-musk-8ee4a569bc5a043cbd21f3d8c2d4f0fe
‘I hope they just maul each other;’ Virginia’s 2025 election season gets underway (WVTF)
There are a small number of primaries for House of Delegates seats, but the total number of down ballot races in November could benefit those at the top, says University of Mary Washington professor Steven Farnsworth. “If you run a party candidate in as many districts as possible, you’ll increase the turnout,” Farnsworth said. “That can help the candidates for governor.”
https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-04-16/i-hope-they-just-maul-each-other-virginias-2025-election-season-get-underway
Big Bucks, big stakes: Virginia candidates raise over $20 Million as 2025 election season heats up (Yahoo; 12onyourside.com; WTOP)
“I think it’s important to note that that funding gap will narrow now that the legislative session is over,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Now that the lieutenant governor is a Republican nominee, I imagine some Republicans were waiting for a resolution of the nomination process before weighing in with donations.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/big-bucks-big-stakes-virginia-185105550.html
https://www.12onyourside.com/2025/04/17/big-bucks-big-stakes-virginia-candidates-raise-over-20-million-2025-election-season-heats-up/
https://wtop.com/virginia/2025/04/big-bucks-big-stakes-virginia-candidates-raise-over-20-million-as-2025-election-season-heats-up/
Republicans in swing districts unite in ‘Purple Caucus’ ahead of Va. House races (The Northern Virginia Daily)
Political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington sees this as part of a larger trend. He said when parties become more ideologically rigid, lawmakers from swing districts can start to feel squeezed. “This is a constant problem,” Farnsworth said. “For years, Congress had what they called the Blue Dog Caucus, where more moderate Democrats tried to chart a different course than the party leadership.”
https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/republicans-in-swing-districts-unite-in-purple-caucus-ahead-of-va-house-races/article_423cc2b7-42a4-51db-a2b6-242af87e298b.html
Big Bucks, big stakes: Virginia candidates raise over $20 Million as 2025 election season heats up (Virginia Mercury)
“I think it’s important to note that that funding gap will narrow now that the legislative session is over,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington. “Now that the lieutenant governor is a Republican nominee, I imagine some Republicans were waiting for a resolution of the nomination process before weighing in with donations.”
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/04/16/big-bucks-big-stakes-virginia-candidates-raise-over-20-million-as-2025-election-season-heats-up/
Republicans in swing districts unite in ‘Purple Caucus’ ahead of Va. House races (Daily News-Record)
Political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington sees this as part of a larger trend. He said when parties become more ideologically rigid, lawmakers from swing districts can start to feel squeezed. “This is a constant problem,” Farnsworth said. “For years, Congress had what they called the Blue Dog Caucus, where more moderate Democrats tried to chart a different course than the party leadership.”
https://www.dnronline.com/news/politics_and_government/republicans-in-swing-districts-unite-in-purple-caucus-ahead-of-va-house-races/article_030f8ad2-107c-56c4-b398-61cccc53b5a2.html
Republicans in swing districts unite in ‘Purple Caucus’ ahead of Va. House races (Virginia Mercury)
Political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington sees this as part of a larger trend. He said when parties become more ideologically rigid, lawmakers from swing districts can start to feel squeezed. “This is a constant problem,” Farnsworth said. “For years, Congress had what they called the Blue Dog Caucus, where more moderate Democrats tried to chart a different course than the party leadership.”
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/04/14/republicans-in-swing-districts-unite-in-purple-caucus-ahead-of-va-house-races/
Virginia governor’s race cause for optimism and concern in both parties (Washington Examiner)
“Virginia voters usually rally behind the party that lost the White House in greater numbers when they vote for governor a year later,” Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, the director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, told the Washington Examiner.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/premium/3370661/virginia-governor-race-cause-optimism-concern-both-parties/
Virginia Governor’s Race Set (DC News Now)
“No, this is the best-case scenario for both of these candidates. When you are thinking about running for a statewide office in Virginia, it is best not to have a primary,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/capitol-review/virginia-governors-race-set/
From the Top Down, Virginia’s 2025 Elections are Packed With Contenders (Virginia Mercury, Fauquier Now, Inside NoVa)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, said the absence of a gubernatorial primary gives both major candidates a strategic edge heading into November. “This is the best case scenario for both of the candidates,” Farnsworth said.
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/04/08/from-the-top-down-virginias-2025-elections-are-packed-with-contenders/
https://www.fauquiernow.com/news/government_politics/from-the-top-down-virginia-s-2025-elections-are-packed-with-contenders/article_ba5562d6-b512-4c6d-b615-40cb38a391a0.html
https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/from-the-top-down-virginia-s-2025-elections-are-packed-with-contenders/article_2f07813d-d118-5206-8257-80525b8ec129.html
Virginia Governor’s Race Cause for Optimism and Concern in Both Parties (MSN.com)
“Virginia voters usually rally behind the party that lost the White House in greater numbers when they vote for governor a year later,” Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, the director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, told the Washington Examiner.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/virginia-governor-s-race-cause-for-optimism-and-concern-in-both-parties/ar-AA1CJoyB
Editorial: Virginia Gubernatorial Preview (FXBG Advance)
The contest for governor is set. Unlike four years ago, it’s Republicans facing headwinds as we race toward November. Stephen J. Farnsworth is professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, where he directs the Center for Leadership and Media Studies. Anders Barretta is a senior political science and geography double major at UMW.
https://www.fxbgadvance.com/p/virginia-gubernatorialpreview?utm_source=substack&utm _medium=email
Professor Emerita of Political Science Elizabeth Larus
Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Nonresident Fellow at the Atlantic Council Indo-Pacific Strategic Initiative Elizabeth Freund Larus commented on Times Now India’s “News Hour” talk show on China’s new deep sea cable cutter technology. Professor Larus indicated that China’s new deep sea cable cutter is likely responsible for severing one of Taiwan’s undersea cables. China is proud of the technological advances that have made that country a peer maritime competitor with the United States but employs plausible deniability to shield itself from culpability. She also indicated that a series of cable cuttings near Taiwan is part of China’s gray zone tactics that are aggressive but short of war. See more.
Other recent media mentions for Larus include:
Trump’s midnight tariffs spark global reaction and warning (WION News)
Larus commented that President Trump’s early April 2025 tariffs are not only intended to bring manufacturing back to the United States but are also intended to prevent China from merely moving operations to neighboring countries, such as Vietnam, to circumvent the tariffs. https://www.nwitimes.com/partners/video-elephant/news/video_5dd2714b-c308-5e26-9a78-7252986829ce.html
US-China tariff war: China says it will ‘ignore’ further hikes, moves WTO on violations (WION News)
Larus commented on the U.S.-China tariff war, indicating that U.S.-China trade is heading for rough seas not just for trade in goods but also in services, commenting that China and the United States have worked each other into respective corners. President Trump had campaigned in 2016 and 2024 against China in a policy of “ChinaPrima.” Although he imposed a moratorium on tariff hikes with other countries, he has held fast with China. Trump is trying to bring Beijing to the table after years of promise fatigue in which China fails to follow through on market-oriented economic reform. At the same time, China’s leader Xi Jinping, who projects China as a peer superpower, cannot appear as backing down. Larus also indicated that despite outreach from Spain and Germany to China, most European countries will not dramatically strengthen economic relations with China because they are suffering from the same promise fatigue. https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/us-china-tariff-war-china-says-it-will-ignore-further-hikes-moves-wto-on-violations/vi-AA1CKE5p
Professor of English Gary Richards
Professor of English Gary Richards led the breakfast book club’s discussion on Anne Rice’s 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire on Saturday, March 29, at the 39th annual Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival in New Orleans. It was his sixteenth time to lead the event, which over the years has covered not only Tennessee Williams’s works but also those of a range of other southern writers associated with the city, such as John Kennedy Toole, Robert Olen Butler, Kate Chopin, Truman Capote, and Eudora Welty.
Assistant Professor of Communication Emily Crosby
Assistant Professor of Communication Emily Crosby recently presented her research at the Character Assassination and Reputation Politics (CARP) Conference at George Mason University. Crosby’s research explored the use of “DEI Hire” as political archetype of character assassination in the months leading up to the U.S. Presidential Election. By tracking the proliferation of the hashtag #DEIHire on Instagram, Crosby highlighted the ways it was deployed in reference to candidate Kamala Harris as both slur and badge of honor in digital spaces.
Associate Professor of Business Kashef Majid
Associate Professor of Business Kashef Majid was featured by WalletHub in an “Ask the Experts” piece that asked the question “Do you think the American Express Gold Card’s benefits are worth the price?” In the article Majid said “Yes – but only if you spend in the right categories. The $250 annual fee is steep and high in comparison to other cards such as Discover or Visa, but the card shines for people who: spend heavily on dining (4X points) or buy groceries using their card (4x points). You can accumulate points quite quickly if your spending is in those categories and then transfer those points for travel.” Read more.
Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young
Associate Professor of Communication Elizabeth Johnson-Young presented two works at the Eastern Communication Association Annual Convention in Buffalo, NY. In the Health Communication division, Johnson-Young presented updated results in her work “Parental Perceptions of Pediatric Counseling on Firearm Safety and Intentions to Follow Through with Recommendations.” This work focuses on survey results investigating how parents receive and intend to follow through on advice from pediatricians regarding firearm safety and asking about firearm safety in another’s home.
In Great Ideas for Teaching Students, Elizabeth presented on an activity and outcomes from the activity she leads in her communication research methods class in a presentation titled “French Fry Goodness and Relationship Closeness: Teaching the Conceptualization Process in Research Methods Using The Big Bang Theory.” This submission was awarded a Top GIFT award during the conference.
Facilities & Events Manager Ryan Imirie
A proud UMW alum, Ryan Imirie ’12 knows this campus inside and out—literally. As the Facilities and Buildings Manager for some of the most well-loved spaces at Mary Wash, he keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes.
He recently appeared on the University’s PS: I Love U(MW) social media series. See the episode!
“… working for the buildings themselves is good, but I’d much rather work with the people who make the events happen,” he said.
Watch more episodes from PS: I love U(MW) on the @marywash Instagram.
Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman
Professor of Political Science Rossalyn Cooperman took part in the second-annual Women in Politics panel hosted by UMW’s Day on Democracy Club, an organization that promotes engagement with the democratic process across the campus community. The Fredericksburg Free Press featured Cooperman in an article about the event titled “Panelists to women with political ambitions: Don’t count yourself out.” Other panelists included Fredericksburg Mayor Kerry Devine and Lorita Daniels, a current member of the Spotsylvania County school board. Read the article.
Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies recently presented a co-authored research paper titled “Patterns of Political Ridicule in Late-Night Political Humor in the United States” at the Character Assassination and Reputation Politics (CARP) Conference at George Mason University.
In addition, recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Trump looms large as Virginia turns to election season (Daily Progress)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said that in the campaigns to come “Democrats will make Trump the first name of every Republican who’s on the ballot.”
https://dailyprogress.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/elections/article_fac18b3d-e19d-5dbf-985b-52eeb1808d7d.html#tracking-source=home-top-story