Election Expert Biographies

Alan I. Abramowitz

(404) 727-0108 office, polsaa@emory.edu

Alan I. Abramowitz is the Alben W. Barkley Professor of Political Science at Emory, and a renowned expert on national politics and elections. His expertise includes election forecasting models, party realignment in the United States, congressional elections and the effects of political campaigns on the electorate. Abramowitz has authored or coauthored four books, including Voice of the People: Elections and Voting Behavior in the United States.

Abramowitz In the News
Politico: Historians see little chance for McCain
NPR: Poll: Rural Voters Not Reliably Republican in 2008
Los Angeles Times: John McCain Takes a Tour off the Beaten Campaign Path
Salon.com: Bitter as Hell in Pennsylvania
USA Today: Opposition to Iraq war is divided after 5 years

Abramowitz: Top Ten Things You Need to Know About the 2008 Presidential Elections >>

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Merle Black

(404) 727-6570 office, merle.black@emory.edu

Merle Black, Emory’s Asa G. Candler Professor of Politics and Government, is a renowned expert on national politics and the foremost authority on politics in the South. One the nation’s most incisive commentators, Black is coauthor of Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics. The groundbreaking work details -- for the first time -- the country’s distinct regional differences to assess the driving forces of partisanship in national politics.

Black In the News
Newsweek: Southern Discomfort
USA Today: Third-Party Candidates Try for Ballot Spots in Most States
NPR: Tide Turns for Democrats
Boston Globe: The Republican Strategy Backfires
Los Angeles Times: The Republican Strategy Backfires
New York Times: In the South, a Force to Challenge the GOP
CNN's Newsroom: N.C. Primaries
CNN's Anderson Cooper: Reverend Wright Responds to Criticism
Reuters: McCain Seeking to Assure Americans, "I Detest War"
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Bob Barr for president? Maybe
Associated Press (CBS News): Speculation Over Veep Picks Intensifies
Wall Street Journal: Speculation Over Veep Picks Intensifies

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Andra Gillespie

(404) 727-9748 office, andra.gillespie@emory.edu

Andra Gillespie is an assistant professor of political science at Emory whose research looksat political mobilization and race, as well as competition between minority groups. Gillespie’s experience as a pollster and consultant has helped shape her research into what works -- and what doesn’t -- in minority politics today as new leadership emerges separate from the civil rights generation. She received a PhD from Yale University in 2005.

Gillespie In the News
USA Today: Detroit's Mayor's Mother in Tight Congressional Race
Associated Press: US Politicians Find Ways To Play On Racial Fears
Boston Globe: Pastor's Rebuttals Fuel Troubles for Obama
USA Today: 'Bloody Sunday' Draws 2 Front-runners
USA Today: Candidates are Locked in Intense Battle for Latinos

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Drew Westen

Contact Beverly Clark at (404) 712-8780 or Drew Westen at drew.westen@emory.edu

Drew Westen is a clinical, personality, and political psychologist, and professor in the Emory departments of psychology and psychiatry and behavioral sciences. He often comments on political and psychological issues for radio, television, and print media, and has frequently served as a commentator on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. His book, The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation, will be published in June.

Westen In the News
The New Republic: McCain's Low Road to Victory
The Huffington Post: The Psychological Dynamics of the 2008 Primaries
CNN: Will 'Elitist' Label Stick to Obama?
Chicago Tribune: To Working Class, Clinton Talks the Talk