I'm an assistant professor of political science in the
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and
a senior research associate with the
Campbell Public Affairs Institute. I teach and
do research in American politics, with an emphasis on political
communication, campaigns and elections, the mass media, public opinion, and
political psychology.
Most of my research explores the nature and effects of political communication in American politics, focusing on the connections between what political elites say and do and the political attitudes and behavior of citizens. Some of my current work examines the factors that influence media coverage during American presidential campaigns and its subsequent effects on public opinion. I'm also working on projects related to media coverage of public policy debates (Iraq, immigration), the role of perceptions of candidate personality in voting behavior, the effects of congressional redistricting on political participation, and voter information-processing and decision-making. My research has been supported by the National Science Foundation and has appeared or is forthcoming in the American Journal of Political Science, Political Research Quarterly, Political Communication, and American Politics Research.
Information on my courses is here, my current research projects here.