Experts in the News | Miller Center

Primaries and primary reform

Is the U.S. presidential primary system really the best way to choose a nominee? Are we too reliant on campaign cash and media coverage? A renowned panel of political experts answers these questions and talks about incumbency, party politics, and primary reform.

Chris Lu

The pandemic's lasting effect on education

A panel of experts explores the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education in the U.S. What happens when millions of students are out of school for months on end? What will the repercussions be, and how are inequalities exacerbated?

William Antholis

The pandemic's lasting effect on education

Melody Barnes

‘Faithless’ Electors Are Faithful to the Constitution

The Supreme Court Wednesday takes up the rights of a despised class—“faithless” electors. Under the U.S. Constitution, electors vote in the Electoral College to decide who will serve as president. More than a dozen states punish electors if they fail to vote for the presidential candidate who won the state’s popular vote. But states lack authority to command presidential electors. States may no more direct electors to vote for Joe Biden or Donald Trump than tell citizens for whom to cast their Election Day ballots.

Saikrishna Prakash

The Presidency

From the Director: Testing our democracy

The COVID-19 crisis is testing the world, our nation, and our government. The crisis is as grand and complex as any world challenge ever—combining elements of past world wars, global financial crises, and natural and humanitarian disasters.

As coronavirus roils the nation, Trump reverts to tactic of accusing foes of felonies

Over the course of his presidency, Trump has responded to criticism of his performance or comments by suggesting or outright asserting that his critics are criminals. Trump, who campaigned for the White House by leading “Lock her up!” chants against Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival, is now reverting to a familiar political tactic as he faces the most significant challenge of his presidency, said Russell Riley, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. “He’s using this as a means of distraction,” he said. “As we’ve seen over the years, when the pressure on him gets turned up, there’s an attempt to deflect attention onto his political opponents.”

Russell Riley