Inside Political Science

Things aren’t cheap. Good thing Texas has money. Kirby and Todd talk Texas politics with guest Brandon Rottinghaus in this new episode. As the legislative session kicks into high gear, what are Governor Abbott’s priorities? Will the state House or Senate help him get more done? There are a lot of expensive things on the governor’s agenda, so what can get done? The trio discusses how the school vou...

Who do you love and who do you hate? In terms of foreign policy, that's a complicated question. Kirby and Todd are back with their first episode of 2025. They bring in foreign policy expert Dr. John Schuessler to discuss how newly returned President Donald Trump might handle foreign relations. As his second term begins, how will Trump take on a world that has changed so much in the past four years...

Do presidents need better, simpler, narrower agendas? In this episode, Kirby and Todd argue yes - presidential approval ratings are dropping. Why? That’s what Kirby and Todd answer as they discuss presidential honeymoons, what presidents should focus on and traditional politics. How will political parties continue to adapt to voters? Plus, $587,000 a year!? Why Gen Z thinks that’s the number neede...

What really happens during a presidential transition? Historically, the transition period was a time for vacation. Campaigning is tough and exhausting! But to keep the country safe and secure every day, a thorough, decisive and professional transition is needed. Kirby and Todd are joined by presidential transition expert Heath Brown, who has extensively researched this relatively secret part of go...

We have a new president, and it happened quicker and more decisively than anyone expected. Kirby and Todd react to Donald Trump’s victory, calling it one of the best political comebacks in history. They give kudos to his campaign for choosing strategies that seemed odd on the surface but paid off in a big way. They discuss what the Harris campaign may be second-guessing and if the results would ha...

Guess what? This presidential election isn’t the nastiest in history, even if it feels like it at the moment. As Election Day dawns, Kirby and Todd provide their final insights before the nation decides on new elected officials. They discuss why this election won’t be the end of the world. Which party represents the working class? It may not be who it used to be. Plus, Congressional control is up...

Kamala on Fox News, Arnold Palmer and McDonald’s french fries: media coverage of politics isn’t simple anymore. Candidates are exploring digital content creation more than ever before and it’s making it hard to keep up. For the last time before the election, Kirby and Todd give their perspectives on the presidential campaigns. Guest Katie Searles joins from South Carolina to discuss how the media...

Young people are America’s future. So what matters most to them? Kirby and Todd take “Inside Political Science” out of the podcast studio and into a classroom to ask Texas A&M freshmen students that question. Students in Todd’s Introduction to Civics and Democracy class pose their questions about national debt, inflation, transgender rights, foreign spending, political accountability and more...

Who’s the problem when it comes to properly counting votes? Kirby, Todd and guest Soren Jordan say it’s us (cue Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero”). Why? Because we want counting to be done carefully but quickly - and we can’t have it both ways. Plus, is voting for “American Idol” easier than voting for president? In this episode, the trio begins by talking hurricane politics and how an administration’s r...

We can land a rover on Mars but we can’t count votes. That’s what Kirby and Todd say this week on “Inside Political Science” as they discuss voting rules, turnout and mobilization. At this point in the election cycle, will any voters change their minds? Do “hate ads” work, and are social media influencers… influencing? Will undecided voters… decide? Will Springfield, Ohio’s dogs and cats… be eaten...

Who looked more presidential during the debate? Who pivoted like a point guard? Did we learn anything? Who squirmed more? And who lost the meme war? Kirby and Todd analyze every aspect of the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris like only political scientists can. They discuss if either candidate really answered the questions they were asked and who got distracted. Find out w...

Defense isn’t America’s number one expense anymore - paying for the national debt is taking over the top spot. Economics professor Jonathan Meer joins Kirby and Todd to diagnose the national debt and grade economic proposals from the Trump and Harris campaigns (find out why he’s giving F’s to both). Plus, Dr. Meer explains that purchasing power is up, even if it’s hard to believe, analyzes why sto...

She’s been America’s VP for three years - but how much do we really know about her? And who wins the race to define her first - Republicans or Democrats? In this episode, Todd welcomes guest host Dr. Justin Vaughn, a political science professor at Coastal Carolina University. They discuss positive and negative messages about Harris, overall campaign messaging, polling, the idea of “vibe voting,” t...

Tim Walz as VP candidate is like Cole Hocker’s win in the Olympic 1500m: a surprise. In this Inside Political Science mini-cast, Kirby and Todd discuss how Walz is viewed by the public and by those in Washington. They explain why this choice shows the whole presidential race is really about the Midwest, how Walz appeals to Middle America and why this doesn’t necessarily help on an electoral colleg...

Everyone talks about Israel. But do you know the differences between American Jews and Israeli Jews? Author Guy Golan joins Kirby to discuss his new book about Jewish voting behavior and foreign relations between the U.S. and Israel. They also hit on evangelical support for Israel, antisemitism, and pro-Palestinian college campus protests. But first, if you’re a political candidate, be careful wha...

Enthusiasm among Democrats is high… but will it last? In this Inside Political Science mini-cast, Kirby shares the three things he’s watching after President Biden’s decision to drop out of the presidential campaign. He discusses why he is surprised at the enthusiasm for presumptive Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, why you shouldn’t look at polls anytime soon and why you’ll see a lot more attenti...

How does an assassination attempt affect the election, and where do we go from here? Todd welcomes Dr. Thomas Flaherty to help him dissect the attempted assassination of former President Trump, including the White House response, messaging from both campaigns, the Republican National Convention and how these events could affect the election. Plus, they dive into globalism: why it’s controversial,...

Does the Supreme Court alignment affect votes? The data says yes - but only for conservative-leaners. Will that change for liberal-leaners this year? Todd is back from his time in Europe and he welcomes constitutional law professor Dr. James Rogers to talk about recent Supreme Court decisions and how they affect campaign strategy. The pair discuss abortion, federal agency oversight, whether the Su...

An age-old question (literally): do our representatives actually represent us? While Todd is still away with his group of Aggies abroad, Kirby is joined by Keith Gåddie, a political science professor at Texas Christian University. The two discuss the Hunter Biden conviction, Trump’s VP race and electoral age limits. For the main deep dive, Keith and Kirby break down congressional elections and the...

The economy is confusing, can we agree? But if it makes you feel any better, our political science experts are back to discuss why they are JUST AS CONFUSED! While Todd is away with his group of Aggies studying abroad, Kirby invites a special guest into the studio: Bill Clark, a Texas A&M professor specializing in political economic theory. Kirby and Bill begin their discussion with this week...

Would Walter Cronkite be trusted in 2024? Thanks to the 24/7 news cycle and the never-ending push for breaking news, media has changed since Cronkite’s days. In this episode, hosts Kirby Goidel and Todd Kent discuss how the media covers politics and how people respond to what the news has to say. They talk about why it’s so easy to choose which media to consume, why perceived trust in the media co...

This week, Texas A&M political science professors Kirby Goidel and Todd Kent are joined by a special guest: Lynn Vavreck from UCLA. The acclaimed political scientist and author gives her takes on the 2024 campaign, the purpose of campaign ads, why voters are married to political parties, mobilization vs. persuasion and more. For more on this show, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Political science professors Dr. Kirby Goidel and Dr. Todd Kent are back with another episode of “Inside Political Science” and today they explore campaign strategy. Find out why persuading voters is so difficult. Learn why campaigns don’t want everyone to vote. And explore why there are so many negative campaign ads. For more on this show, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.

Political science professors Dr. Kirby Goidel and Dr. Todd Kent kick off “Inside Political Science” with a deep dive into political polling. Find out why a good poll is like a good scoop of chicken soup. Learn how to identify an accurate poll. Plus, what the experts are looking at 210 days from the election. For more on this show, visit tx.ag/insidepoliticalscience.