Category Archives: Professional Notes

Farnsworth Discusses Political Donor Support on WVTF

Farnsworth Discusses Political Donor Support for WVTF Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth was quoted in a WVTF article titled "Some Democratic candidates may not receive as much donor support as others this election cycle." In the article, Farnsworth said "Donors have to figure out where their money can be best spent, and that means very viable candidates may not be as appealing to a donor as somebody else is. It’s a painful reality of politics that donors engage in triage, figuring out campaigns that are most effective users of donations versus those that may be good users but not at the top of the list.” Read the article from WVTF.
Other media mentions for Farnsworth include:  Paucity of details on immigration arrests highlights Youngkin’s pattern of misstatements “I think there’s an increasing temptation, particularly for Republican officeholders, to make claims first and provide the evidence later … if ever,” Stephen Farnsworth, University of Mary Washington political science professor, told me. “In the era of Donald Trump, strict adherence to the facts can be an inconvenience.” See article in Virginia Mercury Will the State Department’s loss of seasoned diplomats diminish America’s global sway? Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, echoes Williams’ perspective. “President Trump has long had his doubts about the federal bureaucracy, where there are rules and procedures that limit what Trump wants to do,” he told TRT World. See article in TRT Global.
Spanberger outraises Earle-Sears 2-to-1 in Virginia governor’s race Political scientist Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington said the new fundraising and polling numbers paint a clear picture of where each party is focusing its energy — and where the GOP may be shifting its bets. See article in Virginia Mercury.
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Farnsworth Analyzes Political Dynamics in TRT World (Turkey)

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth was quoted in a TRT World article titled "Elon Musk backs Conservative rebels, blasts GOP, teases a new party: What is the billionaire up to?"  
In the article, Farnsworth provided analysis on the political dynamics between Trump and Musk, noting that “In any competition between Trump and Musk, some form of compromise seems the most likely eventual outcome.” Read the article.
Other media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Youngkin sets veto record as energy, AI fuel gridlock (Virginia Business)
Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, says that candidates running for seats this year in the House of Delegates are hearing from voters about the issue of data centers, AI and energy generation.
https://virginiabusiness.com/youngkin-vetoes-data-centers-energy-ai-elections/
Virginia Democrats Sprint to Win Primary to Replace Connolly Bloomburg Industry)
“The main thing that might come out of this primary is a sense of the vision of what the Democratic Party should look like in the minds of the very engaged, very affluent Democratic voters in this district,” Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, said in an interview. “Virginia Democrats are much more combative and unified against Republicans than Washington Democrats are.”
The post Farnsworth Analyzes Political Dynamics in TRT World appeared first on EagleEye.

Farnsworth Lectures on Political Narratives and Disinformation

Farnsworth Lectures on Political Narratives and Disinformation Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth recently presented a keynote lecture, “Political Narratives, Disinformation and the 2025 and 2026 Elections,” at the annual conference of the Virginia League of Women Voters.  
In addition, Farnsworth was quoted by WVTF in a recent segment titled “Virginia Democrats beat early primary voting record.” Farnsworth told the outlet the increase in early votes shows excitement among Democrats across the Commonwealth. “The Washington narrative that Democrats are dispirited and the activists are hopeless,” he said. “That’s just not supported by these early voting numbers in Virginia.” Read the article.
Other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Spanberger, Earle-Sears may top ticket: Trump will top the talk (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
While much of the messaging will be about what Youngkin’s done during his time in office, including a record number of vetoes of measures Democratic majorities passed in the House of Delegates and state Senate, the context will be Trump’s second term, said Steve Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.
https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_e0ab6d21-d0d6-4f12-9511-5557493799b1.html
The Politics Hour: Democratic nominee for Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi on her primary win (WAMU)
From the segment: I was talking to Stephen Farnsworth, the political science professor at University of Mary Washington, who keeps an eye on a lot of this. He had a good line about this. He said that usually all politics are local, but that this year, he thinks that all politics are national in Virginia. https://wamu.org/story/25/06/20/the-politics-hour-democratic-nominee-for-virginia-lieutenant-governor-ghazala-hashmi-on-her-primary-win/
  How voters’ views on Trump could play into Virginia general election (NBC Washington) “The biggest challenge for Virginia Republicans is President Trump,” said Stephen Farnsworth. https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/northern-virginia/how-voters-views-on-trump-could-play-into-virginia-general-election-video/3939913/
Reaction: Virginia Primary Election (DC News Now) Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is the Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. He breaks down the election and sets the scene for the November election. https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/capitol-review/reaction-virginia-primary-election/ https://www.dcnewsnow.com/video/reaction-virginia-primary-election/10829175/
Fairfax voters head to the polls this week for a high-stakes congressional primary (WAMU)
The 11th District is generally regarded as a safe Democratic seat. Connolly won his last race with more than 65% of the vote, and Kamala Harris carried it by a similar margin. Stephen Farnsworth, a politics professor at the University of Mary Washington, believes the district may lean even further left this year, “given Trump’s battles with the federal employment system.” (More than 80,000 federal workers live in the district.) https://wamu.org/story/25/06/23/fairfax-voters-head-to-the-polls-for-a-high-stakes-congressional-primary/

Farnsworth Weighs in on Virginia Early Voting Trends for WHRO and WVTF

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs and Director of UMW’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies Stephen Farnsworth was quoted in recent coverage by WHRO and WVTF about record-breaking early voting among Virginia Democrats. Farnsworth noted that the increase signals enthusiasm across the state, countering national perceptions. “The Washington narrative that Democrats are dispirited and narrative that Democrats are dispirited and the activists are hopeless,” he said. “That’s just not supported by these early voting numbers in Virginia.” Read the article. Other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Youngkin to set special election for Connolly’s seat amid primary season juggle (Virginia Mercury)
Political Science Professor Stephen Farnsworth of the University of Mary Washington warned that delays in setting the election date can serve partisan ends. “One of the problems with vacant congressional seats is that some governors use the timing for partisan advantage,” he said. “Democrats are very likely to win the seat, and so as long as it remains vacant, that creates a slight advantage for the narrow Republican majority in Congress.”
https://virginiamercury.com/2025/05/28/youngkin-to-set-special-election-for-connollys-seat-amid-primary-season-juggle/
How presidential elections impact governor’s races in Virginia (Virginia Dogwood News) “Historically in Virginia, the governor’s race a year after the presidential race is an opportunity for the team that lost control of the white house to try to win back the governor’s mansion,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBRXyT_OYaO/?locale=zh-hans&hl=ar