With early voting setting new records and national politics reshaping local elections, Professor Stephen Farnsworth is helping journalists and voters make sense of the noise.
As director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, Farnsworth continues to be a go-to expert across major outlets. In just the past few weeks, he’s been featured in:
NBC Washington WAMU Yahoo News Richmond Times-Dispatch DC News Now Virginia Mercury Farnsworth has weighed in on everything from Kamala Harris’ rising prospects to the effects of Trump’s policies on rural Virginia. Whether he’s speaking to the League of Women Voters or breaking down the numbers for DC news outlets, Farnsworth brings clarity to the chaos.
For journalists covering Virginia politics and U.S. elections, Farnsworth is a key source of insight.
Click on the icon below to connect with: Stephen Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs; Director, Center for Leadership and Media Studies Expertise: Virginia politics, media and messaging, U.S. elections, disinformation.
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1 min
Professor Stephen Farnsworth isn’t just analyzing politics, he’s shaping the conversation. Whether moderating congressional debates or exploring the political power of humor, he brings sharp insight and historical context to national audiences.
As a professor of political science and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington, Farnsworth recently moderated two high-profile congressional debates in Virginia’s 7th and 10th districts — both aired on C-SPAN (2024 7th District Debate; 2022 10th District Forum).
He’s also delivered public lectures for UMW’s Great Lives series, using figures like Johnny Carson and Charlie Chaplin to trace the role of humor in shaping American political identity. Watch the full talks: Johnny Carson and Political Humor, and Charlie Chaplin. These public-facing programs reflect his broader mission: helping voters, students, and media audiences understand how politics works — and why it matters.
Click the icon below to connect with: Stephen Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs; Director, Center for Leadership and Media Studies.
Expertise: Political communication, presidential humor, Virginia elections, public engagement.
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Virginia has become the center of attention for lawmakers as seven school boards are taking Gov. Glenn Youngkin to court over mask-optional orders for students. A group of parents are also suing the new governor, who campaigned on ending mask mandates in public schools, and made it one of his first executive orders.
It’s a complicated and no doubt controversial stance – and to fully comprehend what’s going on and the political implications for both sides, media organizations like The Washington Post are contacting experts like UMW’s Stephen Farnsworth to help break it all down.
Fairfax School Board Chair Stella Pekarsky said in an interview Sunday that the lawsuit boils down to an issue of local control: “Can we make policies for our school system, or does the governor get to come and do that for us?” Youngkin, Pekarsky added, “does not tell us what to do.” Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, said the twin lawsuits place significant pressure on Virginia’s court system to step in quickly to resolve the debate. “In situations like this, where there is no middle ground and where neither side has any interest in backing down, only judges can be the necessary umpires,” Farnsworth said. “The sooner they do so, the better for all concerned.” But nobody knows when that will happen. This is a hot button topic, and the result of the lawsuits may have national implications. Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on presidential politics. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune and MSNBC. If you are a reporter covering the midterms and especially Virginia politics, simple click on his icon to arrange an interview today.
Media
Social
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 nine books on U.S. politics, with a particular focus on presidential communication. His recent works include "Presidential Communication and Character: White House News Management from Clinton and Cable to Twitter and Trump," which examines how the last four U.S. presidents sell themselves and their policies in an ever-expanding and sometimes precarious media environment, and "Late Night in Washington: Political Humor and the American Presidency," which considers the treatment of presidents on late-night comedy programs over the past several decades.
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 three decades and the recipient of three Fulbright awards, 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
The American Presidency
Internet Politics
Mass Media and Politics
Virginia Government and Politics
Journalism
American Elections
American Government
Accomplishments
J. William Fulbright Distinguished Scholar in Humanities and Social Sciences
2024-01-01
American Studies Center, University of Warsaw, Poland
Best Conference Paper Award in Political Communication
2023-04-01
Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, Maryland
J. William Fulbright Faculty Specialist
2019-07-01
Methodist College, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Waple Research Professorship
2018-03-31
Awarded for outstanding research in political science.
Farnsworth Receives Outstanding Faculty Award
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
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
2016-04-10
Awarded by the Virginia Association of Communication Arts and Sciences.
Best Conference Paper Award in Political Communication
2011-04-01
Eastern Communication Association
Best Conference Paper Award in Political Communication
2009-04-01
Southern States Communication Association
J. William Fulbright Research Chair in Public Policy
2006-01-01
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Outstanding Young Faculty Member Award
2001-01-01
Awarded by the Alumni Association of Mary Washington College.
Mary W. Pinschmidt Teaching Award
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
1999-01-01
Presented by Mortar Board honor and service society in recognition of exceptional teaching and service to Mary Washington College.
Education
Dartmouth College
B.A. (Honors)
American Government
University of Missouri
B.A. (Honors)
History
Georgetown University
M.A.
American Government
Georgetown University
Ph.D.
American Government
Media Appearances
Virginia voters could gain a bigger voice in choosing the 2028 presidential nominees
Henrico online
2026-07-31
“A lot of states would like to be on this early list, so a lot of states might just envy South Carolina, Virginia and the rest of the people who got the premium nomination calendar tickets,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Mary Washington.
What effect will moving up the state’s Democratic presidential primary have on Virginia?
WRIC; MSN online
2026-07-30
“The proposal could mean a great deal, or it could mean not much of anything,” said Stephen Farnsworth, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Affairs at the University of Mary Washington.
Northern Virginia Republicans vie to take on US Sen. Mark Warner
WTOP online
2026-07-30
“What you see in Virginia is really quite different than the Democratic challenges in other parts of the country,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.
Republicans Hit by Major Midterm Polling Blows Within 24 Hours
Newsweek online
2026-07-24
Stephen Farnsworth, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Mary Washington, told Newsweek that Trump’s unpopularity and high prices are creating “colossal problems” for Republicans. Many voters view him as “increasingly out of touch with their daily concerns” due to his focus on immigration and the Ian war.
Local enforcers react to Virginia’s new legal marijuana market bill
WVTF online
2026-07-10
University of Mary Washington Political Science Professor Emeritus Stephen Farnsworth says Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorneys are political positions and concerns over legalization through a political lens aren’t a surprise. “The political disputes over this transition period and how to litigate challenges remain,” he told Radio IQ.
Spanberger defends wave of vetoes as frustrated Democrats push back
Virginia Mercury online
2026-06-16
“Virginia Democrats are continuing to struggle with a question of identity,” Steven Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said. “How conservative or how moderate do you have to be to win a statewide election is a question that has bedeviled Virginia lawmakers since the days of (former Governor) Chuck Robb.”
Early voting begins this week for congressional primaries
Richmond Times-Dispatch; Roanoke Times; The Virginian-Pilot) online
2026-06-16
"It's good news for incumbents that the lines went back to where they were because it puts challengers off balance," said Steve Farnsworth, director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
Political scientists: Va. budget impasse really about power direction of Democratic Party
World News, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Roanoke Times online
2026-06-09
Resolving budget issues is normally relatively straightforward, said Stephen Farnsworth, a University of Mary Washington political scientist. “You could just split the difference and then resume the fight in Year 2 or Year 3,” he said. “How is there not a compromise here?”
Battling Disinformation with Political Humor, Keynote Speech
Navigating the Digital World of Tomorrow Conference, Polish-U.S. Fulbright Commission Warsaw, Poland
2024-04-01
Ridicule in Late-Night Political Humor in the United States: Contours and Consequences
Northeastern Political Science Association Boston, Massachusetts
2024-11-01
Analyzing the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election Results
American Studies Program (online) Nicosia, Cyprus
2024-11-01
The Trump Presidential Ttansition: What is New and What is Not
University of Warsaw (online) Warsaw, Poland
2024-12-01
The Second Trump Presidency: Policy Implications from His First Week Back in Office
Maria Curie Sklodowska University (online) Lublin, Poland
2025-01-01
The Consequences of the 2024 Presidential Election (so far)
American Association of University Women Fredericksburg, Virginia
2025-03-01
Patterns of Political Ridicule in the United States
George Mason University Character Assassination Conference Arlington, Virginia
2025-03-01
Political Narratives, Disinformation and the 2025 and 2026 Elections
Virginia League of Women Voters Annual Conference Fredericksburg, Virginia
2025-06-01
Courses
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
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.
“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.”
