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As Senate debates Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' expert Gerald Gamm offers insight

University of Rochester political scientist Gerald Gamm is in a unique position to help reporters cut through the noise of Senate negotiations on Trump's policy measure.

Jul 1, 2025

1 min

President Donald Trump’s agenda hangs in the balance this week as Senate Republicans race to lock down the votes to pass their major tax and domestic policy bill by the president’s July 4 deadline.

Republicans are holding firm against Democrats’ efforts to challenge elements of the measure, particularly its cuts to Medicaid and federal nutrition programs, as well as tax cuts for the wealthy.

But the G.O.P. is also witnessing nagging reservations within its own ranks, as fiscal hawks are upset that the bill could pile more than $3 trillion onto the national debt.

University of Rochester political scientist Gerald Gamm is watching the deliberations and political maneuverings closely, and is in a unique position to lend insight to reportage on the negotiations.

Gamm is a co-author of Steering the Senate (Cambridge University Press, June 2025). The book has received high praise from a multitude of sources, and has been called "essential reading for all who care — or worry — about the past and future of institutional leadership and capacity on Capitol Hill," "the best book we have about the organizational development of the Senate," and "a masterpiece . . . that unearths new information on the emergence of leadership institutions and the role of parties and showing their relevance for the Senate of today."

Gamm is available for interviews and can be contacted by email at gerald.gamm@rochester.edu or by clicking on his profile.

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Gerald Gamm

Professor of Political Science and History

Gamm is an expert in U.S and urban politics

CongressState PoliticsU.S. PoliticsUrban PoliticsState Legislatures

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Mar 26, 2026

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The on-again-off-again nationwide boycott of Target has the retailer’s new chief executive, Michael Fiddelke, officer facing relentless pressure from activists on both sides of the issue. David Primo, a professor of political science and business administration at the University of Rochester, says Fiddelke can’t seem to move Target from the crosshairs despite slashing prices on thousands of products and investing in stores, workers, and technology. “Target remains a battleground for activists on the left and the right, and its new CEO hasn’t yet figured out how to extricate the company from this role,” Primo recently told USA Today. “Fiddelke already faces a huge challenge in turning around a company with significant operational issues. This certainly doesn’t help matters.” Target has reported 13 straight quarters of sluggish sales. Company officials have admitted that shopper anger has contributed. Activists in Minneapolis, where Target is based, organized a nationwide boycott last year over the company’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. From church pulpits to community gatherings, the policy about-face was widely viewed as a betrayal of Black Americans who had propped up the retail giant’s bottom line. Primo studies corporate political strategies, among other areas, and regularly shares his insights with business journalists and political reporters. His essays have appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and he’s been interviewed by many radio and television outlets, including Bloomberg and National Public Radio. Contact him by clicking on his profile.

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