We spoke with UC Davis experts in history and political science about their worries and hopes for the 2026 midterm elections. Many shared a mutual concern that election results will be contested by either or both political parties. However, they also shared hopes that this election, whatever the results, would lead to a stronger nation and democracy.
Can a sudden wave of news coverage sway the 2026 midterm election? Political scientist Amber Boydstun said a media storm could also make a difference depending on how close a race for Senate or U.S. House might be.
A new book by UC Davis political scientist Amber Boydstun explains why some events drive media storms, an explosion of sustained media coverage, and why other events, even very similar ones, don’t.
Why do some events catch fire in the news, producing a media storm, while many similar events go all but unnoticed? This Element uses a fire triangle analogy to explain the necessary conditions of media storms. The “heat” is the spark: a dramatic event or discovery.
Anissa Joseph, a Ph.D. candidate in political science, is the inaugural recipient of the Walter J. Stone Endowed Fellowship, which provides a $6,000 summer stipend to advance her research.
In her course “America Decides,” Amber Boydstun, a professor of political science, is taking a different approach to teaching electoral politics that helps students to unpack the emotions bound up with their own or each other’s politics.
