BW Faculty and Students In the Center of the Political Process

The BW contingent that worked election night at WEWS-TV, left to right, Dr. Tom Sutton with students, Brianna Johnson, Austin Nagy, Nikita Martin, Aziz Ahmad, Simone Malone.

In the run-up to this week's election day, BW faculty and students were active in the political process as media commentators, survey analysts and election night tabulators. But with the 2016 presidential election on the horizon, and the Republican National Convention coming to Cleveland next July, they may just be getting warmed up.

BW political science professor Thomas Sutton, who regularly appears on WEWS TV as the Cleveland ABC affiliate's political analyst, was joined by a team of students on election night, who worked to tabulate results for the station. At BW, those students and others get to pick the brains of professors who are in the thick of analyzing politics and government for the media.

BW Pubic Opinion Poll and Questions About "What’s Next?"
Leading into the election, results from a BW Community Institute Research (CRI) poll, which included questions sampling Northeast Ohio public opinion on a marijuana legalization ballot issue, landed on the front page of The Plain Dealer, with insights from CRI associate director and political science professor, Dr. Lauren Copeland.

The poll was tested by students before it went into the field. Sutton, who is CRI's director, and Copeland also fielded poll questions from WEWS-TV 5, WOIO-TV 19/43 and WKSU/NPR Radio. After the issue was voted down, Sutton helped WEWS viewers understand what's next for Ohio's medical marijuana legalization movement.

Dr. Lauren Copeland (left) with the Fox 8 Morning News anchor team

Parsing Presidential Politics
Both BW professors have been called on to provide expert commentary on the ongoing presidential primary races, as well.

Sutton was tapped by both WEWS-TV and WAKR radio to dissect Ohio Governor's John Kasich's struggling campaign, while Copeland appeared live on WJW-TV's popular morning show to preview the first GOP debate showdown that took place in Cleveland, and later talked with WOIO-TV 19/43.

The pair also contributed to a series of Cleveland Jewish News pieces on the presidential race, one asking, "Was Democratic debate more liberal than usual?," another focusing on the politics of gun control, and another delving into the money already raised in the campaigns.

The Broader Election and Government Issues

Sutton also is a frequent guest on WAKR Radio's The Jasen Sokol Show where he has recently given listeners perspectives on issues like the new U.S. Speaker of the House

Dr. Barb Palmer surrounded by Running Start interns in Washington, D.C.

And a third BW political science professor, Dr Barb Palmer, continues her work on women in politics, raising awareness of the uphill climb for female candidates at conferences, through organizations like Running Start, and in the media such as this appearance on Vermont Public Radio.

Palmer recently spoke to a group of young women in Washington, D.C., who are participating in the Running Start Star Fellows Program which includes an internship with a female member of Congress.