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Stephen Farnsworth - University of Mary Washington. Fredericksburg, VA, US

Stephen Farnsworth

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs | University of Mary Washington

Fredericksburg, VA, UNITED STATES

Dr. Farnsworth has spent decades researching how media and politics intersect. Check out his website at stephenfarnsworth.net.

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Biography

Dr. Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on subjects ranging from presidential politics to the local Virginia congressional races. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune and MSNBC.

He is author or co-author of seven books on presidential communication. His work, "Presidential Communication and Character: White House News Management from Clinton and Cable to Twitter and Trump," examines how the last four U.S. presidents sell themselves and their policies in an ever-expanding and sometimes precarious media environment.

Among his other books are "The Global President;" "Spinner in Chief: How Presidents Sell Their Policies and Themselves;" "The Nightly News Nightmare: Media Coverage of U.S. Presidential Elections, 1988-2008;" "The Mediated Presidency: Television News and Presidential Governance;" "Political Support in a Frustrated America;" and "Late Night With Trump: Political Humor and the American Presidency."

A professor at University of Mary Washington for nearly two decades, he established the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies. He is recipient of the 2017 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award by the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV), and was recognized for his service to the national political science honor society Pi Sigma Alpha. The University has bestowed four teaching honors, including the Alumni Association Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award, the Mary W. Pinschmidt Teaching Award, the Richard Palmieri Outstanding Professor Award and the Waple Research Professorship Award.

Areas of Expertise (7)

American Elections

American Government

The American Presidency

Internet Politics

Mass Media and Politics

Virginia Government and Politics

Journalism

Accomplishments (10)

Waple Research Professorship (professional)

2018-03-31

Awarded for outstanding research in political science.

Farnsworth Receives Outstanding Faculty Award (professional)

2017-01-04

Stephen J. Farnsworth, University of Mary Washington professor of political science and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies, has received the prestigious 2017 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award by the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia (SCHEV).

Farnsworth Receives National Political Science Association Award (professional)

2016-09-13

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the UMW Center for Leadership and Media Studies, was recognized for his dedication and service to Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, at the American Political Science Association Conference in September 2016.

Recipient, Distinguished Communicator Award (professional)

2016-04-10

Awarded by the Virginia Association of Communication Arts and Sciences.

Best Conference Paper Award in Political Communication (professional)

2011-04-01

Eastern Communication Association

Best Conference Paper Award in Political Communication (professional)

2009-04-01

Southern States Communication Association

J. William Fulbright Research Chair in Public Policy (professional)

2006-01-01

McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award (professional)

2001-01-01

Awarded by the Alumni Association of Mary Washington College.

Mary W. Pinschmidt Teaching Award (professional)

1999-01-01

Presented by the graduating class to the faculty member "who had the greatest impact on their lives" at Mary Washington College.

Richard Palmieri Outstanding Professor Award (professional)

1999-01-01

Presented by Mortar Board honor and service society in recognition of exceptional teaching and service to Mary Washington College.

Education (4)

Georgetown University: Ph.D., American Government

Georgetown University: M.A., American Government

University of Missouri: B.A. (Honors), History

Dartmouth College: B.A. (Honors), American Government

Affiliations (3)

  • Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society
  • Fredericksburg Regional Board of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia : Member
  • Former Chair, Political Communication Section of American Political Science Association. 2012-2014

Media Appearances (8)

Biden, Trump Look to Secure Party Presidential Nominations

CTV News  online

2024-03-14

"Absolutely, the obstacles of the nomination and renomination of Trump and Biden are settled, so the delegates should add up to fifty plus one by the time the counting is done tomorrow," said Stephen Farnsworth.

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So, Is the Potomac Yard Stadium Deal Dead?

Washingtonian Magazine  online

2024-03-11

In order for the deal to progress this year, Youngkin would need to propose an amendment to the budget bill, which the chambers would then vote on at the April 17 session or call a special legislative session. But Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington—and a longtime Virginia General Assembly watcher—said it was unlikely such a move would be successful. “Trying to add the stadium deal to the legislature’s budget plan only means that the Senate would reject that project again,” Farnsworth told Washingtonian. “The governor wants a legacy, and the Democratic majorities can just wait him out—he only has one more session as governor after this year’s session concludes.”

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Trump Wins Prince William: Examining his decisive victory in the deep-blue county

Potomac Local  online

2024-03-11

Donald Trump won his first victory in Prince William County during a dual Presidential Primary on Super Tuesday, March 5, 2023.

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What Virginia voters need to know for Super Tuesday

DC News Now; Yahoo News  online

2024-03-05

“You have an opportunity for independents or more moderate people to vote in a Republican primary,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.

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U.S. Supreme Court rules Trump can stay on Colorado ballot

CHCH TV Hamilton Ontario  online

2024-03-05

"The main thing that the Supreme Court decided to do today was to set up the process to proceed with Donald Trump on the ballot. Now, that's where the status quo was right now but there was some question about whether or not some of the individual states would be able to take Donald Trump off the primary ballot. The Supreme Court basically finishes that question. It settles this matter. Donald Trump will be on the ballot in the primaries for all of the states, said Stephen Farnsworth.

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Nikki Haley rallies in Northern Virginia ahead of Super Tuesday

DC News Now  online

2024-03-04

Stephen Farnsworth, a political professor at the University of Mary Washington, told DC News Now that Virginia may actually be a friendly state for Haley, but still believes a “good” night for her would only net her in the “low 30s.”

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Haley Secures First Victory of Primaries

CP24  online

2024-03-04

"This is good news for Donald Trump that he can stay on the ballot now. There is, of course, an advantage for Joe Biden as well here because every time that people talk about the insurrection, whether Trump wins in court or not, it reminds voters that Donald Trump is the candidate who tried to help keep himself in power even after he lost the election and Joe Biden is the candidate who generally represents law and order, said Stephen Farnsworth.

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Saturday is the last day to vote early in Virginia’s presidential primary

Prince William Times  online

2024-03-04

Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science and media at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, said the early voting numbers are lackluster across the state. “The early voting numbers are abysmal,” Farnsworth said. “But blame that on the lack of competition in the Democratic and Republican primaries rather than the early voting system itself.”

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Event Appearances (21)

Partisan Trends in Late Night Humor

Virginia Association of Communication Arts and Sciences  Fairfax, VA

2018-04-06

The New Virginia: Politics and the Economy after the 2017 Elections

Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance  Lynchburg, VA

2017-12-14

Reviewing the 2017 Elections in Virginia

Virginia Civics Summit  Chesterfield, VA

2017-11-29

The Trump Presidency, the Mass Media and Public Opinion

The Norwegian Washington Seminar  Washington, DC

2017-10-28

The Identity Crises of the Democratic and Republican Parties

White House Fellows Foundation Leadership Conference  Washington, DC

2017-10-27

Donald Trump and the Late-Night Political Humor of Campaign 2016: All the Donald, All the Time

American Political Science Association  San Francisco, CA

2017-08-31

Virginia’s Candidate Selection Process: Examining Recent Primaries and Conventions

American Legion Boys’ State of Virginia  Radford, VA

2017-06-21

President Obama’s Use of New Media: Enacting the Affordable Care Act and Defining Presidential Character

Western Political Science Association  Vancouver, Canada

2017-04-04

Politics, Media and the American Political System.

Institute for International Education Visitor Leadership Program for International Journalism, U.S. Department of State  Washington, DC

2017-03-02

Media Bias is a Threat to American Democracy

Podius Debates. University of Mary Washington  Fredericksburg, VA

2016-10-26

Digital Media, Public Opinion and the US Presidential Race

BI University  Oslo, Norway

2016-10-12

The Presidential Candidates, the Mass Media and the Angry Voters of 2016

Mary Talks, University of Mary Washington  Fredericksburg, VA

2016-10-03

News Coverage of the 2013 Virginia Governor’s Race Versus Presidential Election News

American Political Science Association  Philadelphia, PA

2016-09-21

A Comparative Analysis of the Partisan Targets of Media Fact-checking

American Political Science Association  Philadelphia, PA

2016-09-14

U.S. Journalism, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Development

Institute for International Education Visitor Leadership Program for International Journalism, U.S. Department of State  Washington, DC

2016-09-07

Late Night Comics Examine Campaign 2016: Donald Trump Dominates the Jokes

American Political Science Association Pre-Conference in Political Communication  Philadelphia, PA

2016-08-03

Barack Obama and the Rise of the Diffident Presidential Style

Midwest Political Science Association  Chicago, IL

2016-04-07

Studying the Presidency after 9/11: Re-considering Presidential Character in Domestic and International Contexts

9/11 and the Academy Conference at Emory & Henry College  Emory, Va

2015-11-12

Fact-Checking the Fact-Checkers

American Political Science Association  San Francisco, CA

2015-09-10

News Coverage of U.S. Presidential Campaigns: Reporting on Primaries and General Elections, 1988-2012

American Political Science Association,  Washington, D.C.

2014-08-01

The Automated Coding of Sentiment in Political News Coverage: Examining Newspaper Coverage of the 2013 Race for Governor of Virginia

American Political Science Association Pre-Conference in Political Communication,  Washington, D.C.

2014-08-01

Courses (1)

American Government:

Mass Media Politics U.S. Political Parties & Elections The American Presidency US Constitutional Reform US Politics and Film Consuming News: A User’s Guide

Articles (14)

Donald Trump and the Late-Night Political Humor of Campaign 2016: All the Donald, All the Time.

Routledge

Stephen J. Farnsworth, S. Robert Lichter, and Deanne Canieso

2018-02-14

The Presidency and Social Media: Discourse, Disruption and Digital Democracy in the 2016 Presidential Election, (Dan Schill and John Allen Hendricks, ed.) New York: Routledge, 2018: 330-45.

This One Map Shows the Republicans’ Problem in Virginia

Washington Post

Stephen J. Farnsworth and Stephen Hanna

2017-11-09

[Opinion column] “This One Map Shows the Republicans’ Problem in Virginia.” (Stephen J. Farnsworth and Stephen Hanna). Washington Post. (“The Monkey Cage” blog). November 9, 2017.

Support for Medicaid in Virginia Keeps Growing

Washington Post

Stephen Farnsworth

2017-10-08

[Opinion column] “Support for Medicaid in Virginia Keeps Growing.” Washington Post. October 8, 2017.

Party Affiliation and Political Class

Greenwood

Benjamin Hermerding and Stephen J. Farnsworth

The American Middle Class: An Economic Encyclopedia of Progress and Poverty (R.S. Rycroft, ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2017: 476-9.

Virginia’s 2013 Gubernatorial Race and Presidential Elections: A Comparison of News Coverage.

The Virginia News Letter

Stephen J. Farnsworth and S. Robert Lichter

2017-08-01

The Virginia News Letter. Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia. 92(3): 1-8 (August 2016).

News coverage of Trump is really, really negative. Even on Fox News

Washington Post

Stephen J. Farnsworth, S. Robert Lichter, and Roland Schatz

2017-02-28

[ Opinion column] “News coverage of Trump is really, really negative. Even on Fox News.” (Stephen J. Farnsworth, S. Robert Lichter, and Roland Schatz.)Washington Post. (“The Monkey Cage” blog). February 28, 2017.

Donald Trump will probably be the most ridiculed president ever

Washington Post

Stephen J. Farnsworth, S. Robert Lichter, and Deanne Canieso

2017-01-21

[Opinion column] “Donald Trump will probably be the most ridiculed president ever.” Stephen J. Farnsworth, S. Robert Lichter, and Deanne Canieso.Washington Post. (“The Monkey Cage” blog). January 21, 2017.

Farnsworth Published by "The Fix" Blog, Washington Post

The Washington Post

2016-03-08

Stephen Farnsworth is co-author of an opinion column, “Late Night Tells Three Times as Many Jokes about 2016 Republicans as Democrats,” published by "The Fix" blog of the Washington Post.

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“The 2015 Election in Virginia: A Tribute to Gerrymandering.”

The Washington Post

2015-11-05

A map by Stephen Hanna, professor of geography, and a column by Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, which both discussed the recent state legislative elections were published in "The Fix" blog of The Washington Post. The column was titled “The 2015 Election in Virginia: A Tribute to Gerrymandering.”

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With Overwhelming Support for Nonpartisan Redistricting, Virginians are Studying Ways to Make That Happen

The Virginia News Letter

2015-06-27

Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia

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An Extended Presidential Honeymoon: Coverage of Barack Obama in The New York Times during 2009 and 2010

Politics and Policy

2015-06-01

(Stephen J. Farnsworth and S. Robert Lichter). Politics and Policy 41 (3): 447-463 (June 2013).

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Virginia Voters and Decentralized Governmental Power: Federal Frustration and State Satisfaction?

Virginia Social Science Journal

2015-05-01

Virginia Voters and Decentralized Governmental Power: Federal Frustration and State Satisfaction?

Event-Driven Environmental News in the U.S. and Canada

Electronic Media and Politics

2012-11-01

(Stuart Soroka, Stephen J. Farnsworth, Lori Young and Andrea Lawlor). Electronic Media and Politics 1(10): 143-57 (November 2012).

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Authors’ Response: Improving News Coverage in the 2012 Presidential Campaign and Beyond

Politics & Policy

2012-08-01

(Stephen J. Farnsworth and S. Robert Lichter). Politics & Policy 40(4): 547-556 (August 2012).

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