How will debates affect upcoming elections? Expert examines Walker-Warnock Senate matchup
Mid-term elections are nearly here and it is debate season for candidates. In Georgia, Sen. Raphael Warnock is set to debate Herschel Walker in Savannah on Oct. 14. This may be the only time the two candidates face off in a debate. But can these events sway a voter one way or another?
Augusta University’s Mary-Kate Lizotte is an expert in political and voter behavior and said research shows debates do not have a substantial influence on election outcomes.
“Most individuals who watch debates are well informed and therefore very likely to already have a party identification,” Lizotte said. “Sometimes debates do lead to a bump in the polls for a candidate if various news outlets agree that the candidate won. Most of the times, such bumps do not last that long.” But when it comes to a particular issue, she said there is some research that shows if it’s a newer topic, then it can influence public opinion.
There has been a lot of attention on this particular debate since Warnock has unsuccessfully tried to engage Walker in other debates. Walker has said he’s not the polished speaker Warnock is and has downplayed the debate during recent speeches.
“Walker is probably doing what others have done against a candidate with established oratory skills," adds Lizotte. "George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney, or their people, worked to lower expectations by conceding that their opponent was a fantastic debater/speaker; then the news media positively covered their debate performance when they performed moderately well or when their opponent does not trounce them.” “This could work in Walker’s favor if they only have one debate. If he gets positive coverage for doing better than expected, then he likely won’t agree to another debate.” With the mid-term elections inching closer and each Senate race crucial to determining the balance of power in Washington, these campaigns will get attention from state and national media.
And if you're a reporter looking to cover the race in Georgia, then let us help.
Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is an expert in political and voter behavior. She is available to talk about the upcoming midterm and gubernatorial elections in Georgia. Click on her name to schedule an interview.
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3 min
Battleground Georgia: All eyes on the Peach State with midterms in sight
The US midterm elections are quickly approaching, and with key Senate seats and the governor's mansion up for grabs in Georgia, the Peach State will be low hanging fruit for anyone looking to see where the balance of power rests in the country.
With reporters across America covering the latest developments, we asked Augusta University's Mary-Kate Lizotte to answer a few questions that are top of mind for reporters and political junkies alike.
The strength of endorsements? Q: What kind of an impact could Mike Pence backing Gov. Brian Kemp have going forward? It could have an influence on the willingness of Republicans who are not former President Trump supporters to contribute to the Kemp campaign and be sure to show up to vote for Kemp. But, it will likely not have much of an influence. Research does not find a huge, lasting impact of endorsements. Ultimately, Trump supporters are unlikely to stay home and not vote for Kemp given that they likely are very against Stacey Abrams becoming governor. For Abrams supporters, she has already begun to use Indiana as a comparison with Georgia to say that Indiana under Pence was more moderate, including Medicaid expansion in comparison with Georgia under Kemp. I doubt this will influence Republican voters who like Pence to vote for Abrams, but it could influence some Independents/moderates to vote for Abrams. It is important to note, however, that most Independents/moderates tend to consistently vote for one party's candidates and thus may not be influenced by this either. A fractured right? Q: Could Pence's support also divide the Republican party somewhat after former President Trump backed David Perdue? Yes, but will likely not have a substantial impact on the election. It is unlikely that Trump supporters and/or Perdue voters will stay home on election day. They will likely vote for Kemp as their most preferred candidate who is running. Goal line stand? Q: Herschel Walker won the Republican primary by a large margin. How does he stack up against Sen. Raphael Warnock in the general election? Polling is currently showing a close race within the margin of error. Warnock has not been running against Walker up until now because Walker had not won the primary, but Walker and conservative groups have been able to run against Warnock because there was no reason to believe that he would not win his primary. In terms of experience, Warnock is the incumbent and thus has more experience. Walker is a complicated and controversial public figure but also is loved among University of Georgia football fans. Warnock has focused on putting out positive campaign advertisements up to this point. But, since there are already attack ads against Warnock, the Warnock campaign or groups supporting the Warnock campaign need to begin airing attack ads against Walker to improve the Warnock standing in the polls. The research indicates that it is best to go negative once you have been attacked. Follow the money? Q: Are we likely to see a record amount of cash flow for candidates in Georgia over the next several months knowing it will be a key swing state? Definitely. People from out of state who will be watching these elections closely will likely contribute. We saw that when Abrams and Kemp ran against one another in 2018 and in the special election that elected Warnock in 2020. If you are a journalist covering this topic, then let our experts help.
Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is an expert in political and voter behavior. She is available to talk about the upcoming midterm and gubernatorial elections in Georgia. Click on her name to schedule an interview.
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1 min
House Republicans oust Cheney from leadership position – what will be the impacts of Wednesday’s vote?
She was once seen as the rising star of the Republican Party, but for Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the tides have shifted, and she now finds herself on the outs with the leadership of the GOP.
Cheney’s vote to impeach President Donald Trump gained her national attention and accolades from across the aisle, and consequently, several enemies within her own party.
Cheney comes with pedigree, profile and a strong following, but with Republicans boasting a record 35 women in Congress, the ousting of Cheney might not have the impact it once did.
“It remains to be seen if this decision is a reflection of the Republicans’ willingness to remove a woman from leadership when they aren’t worried about having a ‘woman problem’ in their delegation,” said Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, an expert in gender difference in politics and associate professor of political science at Augusta University.
What happened Wednesday may have shortand long-term consequences for the Republican party, including how it shapes itself for mid-term elections and the 2024 presidential election.
If you are a journalist covering this topic, then let our experts help.
Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is an expert in political behavior and the implications of gender differences in public opinion. She is available to talk about discuss gender roles in politics and the upcoming Senate runoffs in Georgia. Click on her name to schedule an interview.
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Biography
Dr. Lizotte earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Stony Brook University. Her research interests include political behavior and gender and public opinion. Much of her work is concerned with the origins and implications of gender differences in public opinion, often referred to as "gender gaps." In additional to her work on public opinion, she also has published research on the gender gap in voting, political knowledge, and party identification. Her work has been published in edited volumes as well as Politics & Gender; Journal of Women, Politics & Policy; The Social Science Journal; and Journal of Conflict Resolution. She teaches undergraduate courses on American government, Congress and the Presidency, research methods, and Public Policy Analysis.
Dr. Lizotte has been featured in The New York Times, Rutgers and other top outlets.
Areas of Expertise
Gender Differences in Effect of Attractiveness on Political Candidacy
Kamala Harris Is Pulling in Money. But Can She Pull In Votes?
The Story Exchange online
2024-07-24
Kamala Harris now has her eyes fixed on one goal: running a strong enough campaign to beat former president Donald Trump in November.
The vice president has made some impressive moves thus far. In the first 24 hours as a presidential candidate, she’s raised $81 million — a fundraising record — and her campaign says that number now stands at over $100 million from 1.1 million donors. This includes substantial support from thousands of Black women, who raised over $1 million in just a few hours via Zoom. And nearly 58,000 people have signed up to volunteer for her campaign.
Then she’s received several endorsements — from politicians and organization leaders like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Melinda French Gates, to celebrities like Katy Perry and Ariana Grande. And to top it all off, in her full day of the race, NBC News projects that Harris won endorsements from a majority of the Democratic Party’s delegates, confirming her spot as frontrunner.
Augusta University political scientist breaks down Biden vs. Trump
WJBF tv
2024-06-24
The race for the White House is approaching the home stretch. Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is our guest on this edition of The Means Report. We will talk about the key issues facing our country. Dr. Lizotte takes a look at the Biden and Trump campaigns and what to expect going forward. Watch our interview and you will find yourself well-informed. Be sure to join us for The Means Report. We are on Monday afternoon at 12:30 on NewsChannel 6.
Sexism May Be a Factor in Heightened Criticism of Kamala Harris, Experts Say
The Story Exchange online
2024-06-17
Some voters are not confident about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to be a leader, and are unsatisfied with her performance, new polling reveals.
Politico and the business intelligence company Morning Consult recently released a survey that collected data in May from nearly 4,000 registered Democrat, Republican and Independent voters. According to the results, 38% of overall respondents said that being a strong leader doesn’t describe Harris at all, along with 36% who entirely disagree with Harris being trustworthy. Thirty-three percent of voters don’t view Harris as honest, and reported “definitely not” trusting Harris on issues like national security (38%), gun policy (37%) and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (38%).
And as more voters show concerns with President Joe Biden’s age, questions loom around Harris’ ability to lead the country. Overall, 51% of voters said they believed Harris wouldn’t make a good president, compared to 40% who said she would. Voters’ politics matter, though: Democrat voters (74%) supported the idea of Harris making a good president, while Republicans (88%) and Independents (51%) disagreed.
In terms of Harris’ obligations, Mary-Kate Lizotte, who is a professor of political science at Augusta University in Georgia, agrees with Filindra, saying that Harris has done “what most vice presidents do,” which is to do what is asked of them by the president. The role, she says, is a “very complicated position to be in.”
Donald Trump on Thursday was found guilty in a first-of-its-kind criminal trial of a former U.S. president that put a spotlight on an attempt to falsify business records, keep secret an adult film actor’s story of an affair and change the outcome of an election. Now the question becomes one that some witnesses in the trial said was asked in 2016: Will women voters care?
During the roughly six-week trial, witnesses testified on the Trump campaign’s heightened concern in the lead-up to the 2016 election about his standing with women voters. Reporting at the time spotlighted several women claiming sexual misconduct by Trump. Then an “Access Hollywood” recording was made public that captured Trump talking about grabbing women’s genitals. How the public processed the trickling of news from the trial could also matter, said Mary-Kate Lizotte, a political science professor at Augusta University. No cameras or audio recordings were allowed in the courtroom, a decision that restricted the potency of the most damning testimony from Daniels and Cohen. She compared that to the virality of imagery that emerged from the televised defamation trial of actor Johnny Depp that focused on abuse claims made by his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
“Seeing them actually give their testimony rather than having someone who was in the courtroom describe how believable they seem to be — people like to make up their own minds,” Lizotte said of the Daniels and Cohen testimony. “I think a lot of that stuff probably would have gone viral if there was video of it. And right now, the average American isn’t really paying attention to the trial because it’s not making good TikTok content. It’s not making good social media content because there aren’t those clips.”
Confusion over how pregnancy dates are measured is widespread – and makes for uninformed debate over abortion limits
Yahoo! online
2024-05-14
Most Americans don’t know two key facts about pregnancy, including how they are dated and how long a trimester is – and this could matter, as a growing number of states place restrictions on abortion.
Florida enacted a new law on May 1, 2024, that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, with a few exceptions – including documented rape, incest and to save the life of the mother.
Florida joins the majority of Southern states that now have complete bans or highly restrictive abortion laws, enacted since the Supreme Court overturned the federal right to get an abortion in June 2022. Many of the restrictive laws ban abortion after a set number of weeks.
Wait, whose side is Taylor Swift on anyway? Dissecting the pop icon’s political influence
Reckon online
2024-02-09
Pop icon, Grammy darling, Super Bowl sweetheart... political kingmaker?
With her sold-out “Eras Tour” generating a whopping $5 billion economic impact, Taylor Swift has solidified her status as a music industry powerhouse. But her influence extends far beyond catchy tunes and dazzling stage presence. As she evolves from apolitical star to outspoken advocate, she’s ignited a heated debate: Can Taylor Swift swing the 2024 election?
Swift’s massive fanbase, spanning demographics and generations, gives her unparalleled reach. Political experts see her endorsements as potential game-changers, while both Democrats and Republicans analyze her every move. However, her outspoken stances – from LGBTQ+ rights to voter mobilization – create friction, particularly among conservatives who view her as a threat to their values.
“Given many of her fans are women and the consistent gender gap in vote choice as well as the focus on women’s rights after the Dobbs decision, increased interest in who she may endorse makes sense,” said Mary-Kate Lizotte, political scientist at Augusta University.
AU professor speaks on presidential election ahead of November
WRDW tv
2024-02-27
Ahead of November’s election, News 12 sat down with Augusta University Professor Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, who specializes in political science and government.
When asked about what role Georgia will play in the election, she says the state could side in favor of President Biden, but it will be close.
“I think it’s possible that Democrats win Georgia again, but it’s going to be very, very close. I think that Republicans who came out and supported Kemp or even non-Republicans who came out and supported Kemp for his second term, that doesn’t mean that they like Trump,” she said.
What could a Taylor Swift endorsement mean for voter turnout in the 2024 election?
Dallas Morning News print
2024-02-03
The expected presidential rematch between two men, ages 77 and 81, is a fight over many things: How to protect the border; foreign aid to Israel and Ukraine; abortion access. And now, the potential for a 34-year-old superstar’s endorsement.
Last fall, Taylor Swift encouraged her more than 270 million Instagram followers to register to vote, leading to a surge in registrations.
Mary-Kate Lizotte, an Augusta University political science professor, said Swift’s comments about politics will influence her fans and followers, as we’ve seen already, but are unlikely to influence people who are not already fans or who are her fans but are politically conservative.
Study: The More People Know About Pregnancy, the More Likely They Are to Support Access to Abortion
News Wise
2024-01-24
A new study on public attitudes toward abortion laws finds that the more people know about pregnancy, the more likely they are to oppose legislation that limits women’s access to abortions – regardless of political ideology. The study also found that laws that limit access to abortion after 12 weeks did not have greater support than laws that limit access to abortion after six weeks.
“There is a tremendous amount of research on public attitudes toward abortion in the United States, but very little of that work has been done since the Dobbs v. Jackson decision in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade,” says Steven Greene, co-author of the study and a professor of political science at North Carolina State University. “We wanted to ask questions that directly address the policy issues raised in state legislatures in the wake of Dobbs.
In “Feminist and Anti-Feminist Identification in the 21st Century United States,” Laurel Elder, Steven Greene and Mary-Kate Lizotte, political scientists at Hartwick College, North Carolina State University and Augusta University, analyzed the responses of those who identified themselves as feminists or anti-feminists in 1992 and 2016. Based on surveys conducted by American National Election Studies, Elder, Greene and Lizotte found that the total number of voters saying that they were feminists grew from 28 to 34 percent over that 24-year period. The growth was larger among women, 29 to 50 percent, than among men, 18 to 25 percent.
How Gender Shapes Public Opinion in American Politics
Rutgers online
2021-05-20
I spoke with two experts – Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte (Augusta University) and CAWP Visiting Practitioner Kimberly Peeler-Allen about the dynamics of these gender differences and how they shape the contours of American politics. This interview sheds light on what gendered patterns in public opinion look like in the United States, what underlying factors drive these patterns, and how gender interacts with other identities to effect political attitudes. For more information and data on gender differences in public opinion, see our Gender Differences in Public Opinion Fact Sheet.
Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, an associate professor of political science at Augusta University says since a year ago, there’s been a major jump among all Americans in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“There’s a lot of desire from the public to see things change. These sorts of incidents shouldn’t be happening particularly at the rate that they’re happening,” she said, whether that’s changing the way things are funded or the way policing takes place. “I think that we’re going to see your local and state legislators going ahead and responding to that public outcry.”
Augusta University’s new online course tackling race & politics
WJBF tv
2021-04-17
A new class at Augusta University is bringing attention to the topic of race and politics.
Talking about race and politics can be hard for some people. but students at Augusta University can now take a class to help them explore these difficult topics.
Professor Mary-Kate Lizotte says “it’s really important that as a society…and I see it in students all the time, they’re uncomfortable when talking about race and as a society we are often uncomfortable talking about race and these sorts of issues and acknowledging that.”
Even before this Trump-era widening of disagreement about the desirability of a larger and more activist government, this was a bigger gender gap than was registered for abortion-related questions.
Similarly, according to Augusta University’s Mary-Kate Lizotte, an expert in the gender gap in political behavior, “attitudes about military force exhibit a gender gap of 8 to 12 percentage points on average, with women less supportive of military interventions such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Our friends at Augusta University have played a key role in helping us understand complicated issues, helping us go beyond the headlines, and with the midterm elections right now really in full swing, we wanted to touch on something that we don't usually tackle in the political arena, and that is the way that a candidate looks, their physical appearance, and the role that it may or may not play when it comes to your decision at the ballot box...
In “Feminist and Anti-Feminist Identification in the 21st Century United States,” Laurel Elder, Steven Greene and Mary-Kate Lizotte, political scientists at Hartwick College, North Carolina State University and Augusta University, analyzed the responses of those who identified themselves as feminists or anti-feminists in 1992 and 2016.
Based on surveys conducted by American National Election Studies, Elder, Greene and Lizotte found that the total number of voters saying that they were feminists grew from 28 to 34 percent over that 24-year period. The growth was larger among women, 29 to 50 percent, than among men, 18 to 25 percent.
How education can benefit from critical race theory
Boom Bap Hour podcast online
2022-01-23
The Boom Bap Hour talks with Dr. Mary Kate Lizotte, Associate Professor of Political Science at Augusta University. Two years after the death of George Floyd when the nation was enthusiastic to talk about race, school boards are now backpedaling the conversation, banning classes and books about racism. A professor teaching about systematic racism at the college level, Dr. Lizotte explains why teaching critical race theory is beneficial to our educational system at all levels.
Federal election lawsuit heads to trial in Atlanta
WFXG tv
2022-04-13
A federal elections lawsuit has headed to trial in Georgia. Fair Fight Action, an organization backed by Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams, is suing the state alleging that the secretary of state and the Georgia State Election Board have violated federal voting rights laws.
The trial began Monday, three years after the lawsuit was initially filed in 2018 when Abrams narrowly lost the gubernatorial race to now-Governor Brian Kemp. The initial lawsuit included a number of concerns, some of which have been dismissed by the court. Now, the main focus is Georgia's "exact match" policy.
Local political professionals encourage young people to vote
WJBF tv
2022-04-21
“They need to know that their voice matters and every vote counts ” said Joseph Wallace, Program Director for Georgia shift.
When you turn 18 years old the thought of voting may not be your top priority, but being an active voter could affect you in many ways. Getting your registration card doesn’t have to be intimidating, there are with plenty of resources to help you register to vote just before the upcoming election in may.
The Georgia shift is an initiative encouraging young people to vote in Augusta. Program director joseph Wallace says getting registered is actually an easy process.
Roe v. Wade: What’s the potential impact on the two-state?
WRDW tv
2022-05-03
The response is erupting not only in the nation’s capital but across the country after a leaked document suggested the Supreme Court may be planning to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Overturning it would mean deciding on abortion on a state-by-state basis.
Here’s what this could mean for the two-state region.
It could be two months until the final decision comes down if the Supreme Court chooses to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Following primary election, Ga. candidates look ahead to November
WRDW tv
2022-05-25
Tuesday was the warm-up round for voters in the peach state.
In November, all eyes will be on Georgia for the U.S. Senate race between current Senator Raphael Warnock and former UGA football star Herschel Walker.
Then you have Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams going head-to-head once again for governor.
We talked to political experts who say voters are starting to understand what’s at stake.
Roe v. Wade decision sets stage for Georgia’s Heartbeat Law
WRDW tv
2022-06-24
The overturn of Roe v. Wade ultimately places the decision in the state’s hands when it comes to regulating abortion.
What are the implications of this decision for Georgia and the river region?
Here in Georgia, an Augusta University professor says we could see the implications before the day is out.
The Supreme Court has spoken, and they’ve decided it’s up to states to decide.
“If they want to ban it completely, if they want to have a six-week ban, if they want to have exceptions for rape, incest, the health of the mother, they get to completely decide what that looks like. The U.S. Constitution does not provide for this right,” said Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, AU political science professor.
Behind the political headlines: preparing for the midterm election
WJBF tv
2022-07-09
This week The Means Report turns its attention to the hot button political issues facing our nation. It is something that is done periodically so that not only you can stay up to speed on what’s going on behind the headlines, but so we can all learn things from our political experts in town who are kind enough to stop by and enlighten us as to all the goings on nationally and globally, in many cases. This time around, we cover the January 6th hearings as that committee continues to meet and investigate the events of that day, plus recent Supreme Court decisions and how they might factor into the upcoming elections – the midterms. The Trump Factor… how much of an influence will Former President Trump have on your choice at the ballot box, and the women’s vote – how key is that going to be in determining who our future office holders are? Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte is a professor at Augusta University, a political scientist and joins The Means Report to offer her expertise.
Young Women’s Views On Abortion Could Reshape The Midterms — And The Future Of Politics
FiveThiryEight online
2022-10-04
In most midterm years, young voters tend to sit out the election. But 2022 could be a different kind of year. Turnout among 18- to 24-year-olds nearly doubled between the 2014 and 2018 midterm cycles. And the Supreme Court’s June ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which allows states to ban abortion for the first time in nearly five decades, suddenly put a spotlight on reproductive-health issues in many key elections.
Political science expert weighs in on the importance of debates
WRDW tv
2022-10-07
People all over the country are watching two of our major elections this year. Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams are meeting in a re-match for governor. Herschel Walker is challenging Raphael Warnock for his position as U.S. Senator. Walker and Warnock are touring around the state ahead of their upcoming debate in Savannah. We talked to an expert at Augusta University about the impact these debates can have on an election.
Winners and losers: breaking down the midterm election
WJBF tv
2022-11-13
Election day came and went with many results, but, for one race, the craziness continues. So The Means Report wanted to take a look at the winners and losers, as well as the runoff the state of Georgia will be facing in just a few weeks. Plus, what were the takeaways, and what should we interpret from the results. To do all of that we turn to Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte, Augusta University Social Sciences professor.
Early voting begins in some parts of Georgia ahead of crucial Senate runoff
Yahoo! News online
2022-11-26
Georgia voters are heading to the polls Saturday as the state’s runoff Senate election between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker nears in the coming weeks.
Democrats will maintain control of the Senate through 2024 due to important wins in Nevada and Arizona, guaranteeing at least a 50-50 split. Democrats hold the majority in an even Senate thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris' ability to cast tie-breaking votes.
But winning Georgia would give Democrats more breathing room and outright control of the chamber, meaning the stakes for both parties remain high.
Understanding the hot topics: The Means report covers the issues with a political scientist
WJBF tv
2023-02-08
Today’s headlines can be overwhelming. So much information is coming at you so fast. On this edition of The Means Report, we talk to Augusta University Political Scientist Dr. Mary-Kate Lizotte. Watch both segments and get Dr. Lizotte’s perspective on what’s happening in our world. Thank you for watching The Means Report Monday afternoons at 12:30 on NewsChannel 6.
I think so, especially inflations and the cost of living. Those are still big concerns whey looking at polling numbers and people are still really struggling. Inflation has improved and has been improving for a while now, but people are still feeling like groceries cost too much and necessities cost to much and that's still a big concern
I think the abortion topic will be part of the debate and part of the national conversation. We've seen polling that shows that shows people are having conversations about this topic, that they're learning a lot more about abortions and about the various reasons why women may have abortions. And the candidates are very different on that issue.
"Yes and no. No meaning that people watching the debate, that are political junkies who are already interested, they are already rooting for a candidate and that's why they are watching. But the media coverage, post debate, especially if there's a consensus that one candidate won, that can really sway people."
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has been the most consequential civil rights movement in the United States in the last half century. BLM has increased public awareness of the prevalence of state-sanctioned violence in Black communities as well as broader issues of racial inequity and anti-Black racism in society. Given the multiracial composition of BLM protesters, the movement has also been credited as the largest multiracial movement for Black liberation in US history. Yet, there have been lingering concerns that BLM tends to mobilize around stories that center men as victims of police violence while ignoring other marginalized victims within the Black community. For instance, Kimberlé Crenshaw leads the #SayHerName campaign which serves as a countermovement to BLM to promote more gender-inclusive narratives of police violence and approaches to racial justice. We propose that such gendered considerations shape support for BLM not only among Black women but also other women of color. Using the 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, we examine how perceived common fate with women of color shapes support for the BLM movement among Black women, Latinas, and Asian Pacific Islander women. Our analysis suggests that the common experiences and shared interests of women of color may lead them to work together in pursuit of their respective groups’ political objectives.
Minding the Black Gender Gap: Gender Differences in Public Opinion among Black Americans
American Politics Research
Mary Kate Lizotte, Tony E. Carey, Jr.
2021
There is little research examining the gender gap in public opinion among Americans of African descent. Amid emerging evidence that Black men are more conservative than Black women, there is reason to believe there may be gender differences in their policy preferences. We use the 1980-2016 cumulative ANES data to observe when racial and gender considerations will be more salient for Black women in determining their policy preferences. We find no gender gap on race-based policies suggesting racial group interests may be driving similar support among Black men and women. [...]
The gender gap in support for humanitarian interventions
Journal of Human Rights
Mary-Kate Lizotte
2020
Much of the existing literature on the gender gap in support for war has focused on average differences between men and women. Little research has focused on variations in men’s and women’s support due to differing aspects of the situational context, such as regime change, economic interests, threat of terrorism, or humanitarian crisis. Previous research has suggested that gender differences are reduced when the objective of a military intervention is to promote human rights and stop a humanitarian crisis (Brooks and Valentino 2011; Eichenberg 2016, 2017), but the underlying reason for this finding remains elusive. In this article, I seek precisely such an explanation—values. [...]
You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling: How Gender Shapes Affective Polarization
American Politics Research
Heather Louise Ondercin, Mary Kate Lizotte
2020
We examine variation in levels of affective polarization for men and women. Using the 1980 to 2016 American National Election Studies, we find that women are more affectively polarized than men. The effect of sex partially works indirectly through political identities and issue positions. Moreover, sex acts as a moderator, with political identities and issues positions have different effects on men’s and women’s level of affective polarization. Three factors create women’s higher levels of affective polarization: women are more likely to be partisans, strength in abortion attitudes, and partisanship has a more substantial influence on women’s attitudes compared to men’s attitudes. [...]
Negative Effects of Calling Attention to Female Political Candidates' Attractiveness
Journal of Political Marketing
Mary-Kate Lizotte, Heather J. Meggers-Wright
2018
Given the focus of the media on female candidate appearance in the 2008 presidential election, this research investigates the effects on voter evaluations of calling attention to female candidate attractiveness. The current research hypothesizes that pointing out candidate attractiveness likely has a negative effect on subsequent evaluations and reports of vote likelihood, particularly for female candidates. Role congruity theory, which argues that evidence of prejudice against female leaders is the result of a discrepancy between people’s stereotypes of women and their stereotypes of leaders, provides an explanation for these findings. This study establishes the negative influence of calling attention to a candidate’s attractiveness. [...]
The gender gap on public opinion towards genetically modified foods
The Social Science Journal
Laurel Elder, Steven Greene, Mary Kate Lizotte
2018
Ever since genetically modified (GM) foods were introduced into the food supply in the 1990s they have provoked debate and concern. The number of GM foods approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and offered on supermarket shelves has steadily grown at the same time that public wariness about the safety of GM foods has increased. Studies within the scientific literature show a strikingly large gender gap in attitudes towards GM foods with women consistently more skeptical than men. However, there have been few efforts to understand the determinants of the gender gap on GM foods within the political science literature. [...]
Political experience and the intersection between race and gender
l Politics, Groups, and Identities
Tony E Carey Jr, Mary-Kate Lizotte
2017
Prior research has treated political experience as if it had similar effects for every candidate. However, recent studies suggest that the effects of political experience on trait judgments and candidate evaluations may vary depending on a candidate’s demographic characteristics. Accordingly, this study investigates whether the influence of prior experience varies depending on the racial and gender background of political candidates. To explore this topic, we employ an experiment with a 2 (Race: White and Black) × 2 (Sex: Male and Female) × 2 (Experience: Experienced and Inexperienced) factorial design. [...]
Investigating women's greater support of the Affordable Care Act
The Social Science Journal
Mary-Kate Lizotte
2018
Healthcare reform has recently dominated the political agenda. There is a consistent gender gap in healthcare policy preferences, and women are more likely to support the Affordable Care Act than men. This study investigates two explanations for the origins of this gap, which connect to a larger debate in political behavior whether symbolic versus self-interest reasons drive public opinion. The humanitarian hypothesis tests whether gender differences on pro-social values, such as humanitarianism, account for the gender gap in healthcare attitudes. Second, the economic security hypothesis tests whether these gender differences emerge because of women's self-interest due to their higher levels of economic vulnerability. There is support for both hypotheses, and each partially mediates the gap. Together they fully mediate the gender gap.
The Abortion Attitudes Paradox: Model Specification and Gender Differences
Journal of Women, Politics & Policy
Mary-Kate Lizotte
2015
Rather unexpectedly, prior work has failed to find consistent gender differences in public support for legal abortion. Given that gender differences in public opinion emerge for a wide range of other issue areas, it seems paradoxical that there is no consistent gender difference on the issue of abortion. I propose that this failure to find a consistent gender difference is due to how abortion attitudes are modeled. Controlling for religiosity, which research has shown women to score higher on, results in a small and consistent gender gap in support for legal abortion with women more likely than men to support.
Much scholarship has noted that there are significant differences in the political behavior of women and men. Women, for example, are found to be more likely to identify as and vote for Democrats, less likely to hold conservative issue positions, and more likely to vote for incumbents. One of the more disturbing gender gaps occurs in political knowledge: Specifically, women are typically found to be less knowledgeable about politics and government than their male counterparts. We propose that much of the gap can be explained by theories of risk aversion, which imply that women are less likely to guess on questions for which they are uncertain. [...]
The Impact of Personal Security Dispositions on Citizen Support for the Pursuit of Gender Equality in US Foreign Policy
Sage Journals
Richard J Stoll, Richard Eichenberg, Mary-Kate Lizotte
2022-09-07
Since 1995, presidents from both parties have increased US government initiatives in pursuit of global gender equality, but there has been little scholarly work that explores public support for these initiatives. We analyze the level of citizen support for several types of global gender equality programs. In addition, we explore support for one specific rationale for the policy –the argument that the participation of women in decision-making will make the world a more peaceful place. Our central hypothesis is that personal security dispositions are an important correlate of support for global gender initiatives, and our analysis yields support for the hypothesis. Citizens who place a high value on personal security display stronger support for gender equality in foreign policy. We close with suggestions for further research and discuss the policy implications of our findings, in particular with respect to public opinion on the use of military force.
Community-level internet connectivity and mental health: an analysis of United States counties
Journal of Mental Health
William Hatcher, Lance Hunter, Wesley Meares, Mary-Kate Lizotte, Dustin Avent-Holt
2023-04-09
Background: Access to the Internet is often viewed as a positive feature of communities, but little research has been conducted examining the effects of internet access on mental health at the community level.
Aims: To examine the relationship between internet connectivity and mental health in United States (US) counties, an analysis that has not been conducted in the public health literature.
Methods: We analyzed predictors of mental health in US counties. Data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps were used to construct a time-series regression analysis. The data were available from 2013 to 2016.
Results: US counties that increased their internet connectivity over this period also had more citizens report suffering from mental health conditions.
Conclusions: Public health needs to focus on the county-level predictors of mental health and how internet connectivity may not always produce positive effects and may be contributing negatively to the mental health of communities.
Abortion, religion, and racial resentment: Unpacking the underpinnings of contemporary abortion attitudes
Wiley Online Library
Melissa Deckman, Lauren Elder, Steven Green, May-Kate Lizotte
2023-01-19
For many Americans, pro-life attitudes are directly attached to their religious beliefs, especially white evangelicals. Some have argued that evangelicals came to oppose abortion not simply because of their views on the sanctity of life, but out of a growing racial resentment as government policy and society moved towards greater racial equality.
This study explores the relationship of evangelicalism, racial attitudes, and views on the legality of abortion to explore whether racial resentment is behind evangelical opposition to abortion.
To carry out this exploration this study employs American National Election Studies data from 2000 to 2020 and the 2020 Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) Values survey.
We find no support for the idea that racial attitudes are disproportionately correlated with the abortion views of white evangelicals. Rather, we find that racial attitudes are now correlated with views on abortion for all Americans. Where abortion attitudes are distinctive from attitudes on other policy issues is in having very strong religious determinants, suggesting that genuine religious beliefs do indeed underscore the pro-life views of white evangelicals.
This study provides a good baseline for understanding the relationship between racial attitudes, evangelicalism, and abortion attitudes at the cusp of the Dobbs decision overturning Constitutional protections for abortion, and should be revisited in the post Roe era.
The Ties that Bind: Public Opinion and Linked Fate among Women of Color
Journal of women, politics & policy
Tony E. Carey Jr, Mary-Kate Lizotte
2023-01-29
Although women of color share the same gender identity, their differing racial identities lead to questions about whether they might mobilize collectively over a shared political agenda. Using the 2020 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, we examine how linked fate among women of color shapes the political attitudes and policy preferences of Black women, Latinas, and Asian American/Pacific Islander women. Our expectation is that linked fate toward women of color will shape perception and preferences in three particular issue areas: policies that are intended to reduce racial inequity (e.g., police reform), perceptions of gender discrimination, and social welfare policies aimed at aiding lower income individuals. Our results strongly confirm these expectations indicating immense potential for cross-racial coalitions among women of color across issue areas.
