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 lecture, “The State of the U.S. Presidential Election,” at the British-American Studies Center of Maria Curie Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland. The talk was derived from portions of Dr. Farnsworth’s recently published book, Presidential Communication and Character: White House News Management from Clinton and Cable to Twitter and Trump. Dr. Farnsworth served at the University of Warsaw in Poland as a 2024 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar.

Other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:

2 Army veterans set for major House battle in Virginia (The Hill; Yahoo News; AOL.com)
“It’s going to be one of the marquee national races this fall,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political analyst at the University of Mary Washington.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/2-army-veterans-set-major-130751669.html

Kamala Harris, From Grey Vice President to Possible Biden Alternative (Sunday Vision)
“If she steps down, Harris would be the best alternative for Democrats to avoid starting a major internal battle just weeks before the convention,” Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, told EFE.
https://www.sundayvision.co.ug/kamala-harris-from-grey-vice-president-to-possible-biden-alternative/

Virginia House, Senate reach agreement on military education program (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
“It’s never a good idea to anger voters, particularly military families,” said Steve Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, in the heart of the 7th Congressional District. “The failure to pass something hurts the two Democrats facing the toughest campaign terrain in November.”
https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/virginia-military-education-benefit-youngkin-lucas-vindman-anderson-kiggans-smasal/article_b70fa6f2-388f-11ef-a061-aba27012d6aa.html#tracking-source=home-top-story

Virginia analysts weigh in on Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling (The Daily Progress)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said the Supreme Court “further reduced the slim chances” of a federal trial before the election stemming from Trump’s actions relating to Jan. 6, 2021.
https://dailyprogress.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/virginia-trump-presidential-immunity/article_475a2a63-e0b0-5132-8384-d091d3455cce.html

Not with a bang, but a whimper (Virginia Business)
“The only thing that the legislature really did is the one thing they have to do: Pass a budget,” says Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington who has tracked the state legislature for decades. “This is a session that would qualify as one of the more forgettable ones.”
https://www.virginiabusiness.com/article/not-with-a-bang-but-a-whimper/