In addition to bashing MAGA, state Democrats have launched what University of Mary Washington political scientist Stephen Farnsworth calls a much more focused, policy-driven response to Trump than Democrats in Congress have so far managed.
“Members of the Congress seem more shell-shocked and slower to engage as a group,” Farnsworth said. “The Democratic caucus in Virginia has shown a much more unified strategy for controlling the narrative. … They’ve given voters a very clear sense of the direction of the commonwealth if Democrats do prevail in November.”
To that end, the Prince William Committee of 100 is hosting a non-partisan panel, “the Domino effects of DOGE,” next week to explore how to mitigate its impact on Prince William. The event will be moderated by Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington.
The event will be held at 6 pm on March 20 at Brittany’s Restaurant and Sports Bar in Woodbridge. Advance registration is required.
With all 100 House of Delegates seats and the Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General's offices on the line, University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said both parties want to make an example out of Virginia ahead of 2026. "The reality is Virginia always has an outsized national profile because we’re the first real leading political indicator for the congressional midterms to come," he said.Virginia’s major political parties both enter 2025 election with new leadership (WVTF)
But Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington, also sees the surge of Democratic candidates in Virginia’s 2025 elections as part of a broader trend fueled by voter anger and dissatisfaction with the party in power. “Virginia elections are all about angry voters,” Farnsworth said. “The party that loses the White House is energized for elections the following year in a way that the party that won the White House is not so energized. Democrats in 2017 had a recruitment bonanza with many motivated candidates requiring many primaries. It looks like 2025 is also going to be a peak year for Democrats running for office.”Democrats seize on enthusiasm gap in 2025 Virginia House races (Virginia Mercury)
“The main thing you want to avoid doing in March is saying things you’ve got to defend in the fall,” said Steve Farnsworth, a political scientist and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented a guest online lecture, “Disinformation Discourse in U.S. Politics," to students at Montclair State University in New Jersey. The talk was derived from portions of Dr. Farnsworth's recently published co-authored book, Producing News in a Time of Disinformation: Information Evaluation Strategies for Journalists.
In addition, other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:
Might Trump change the law to run for a third term? (The Independent UK) “There is zero chance the Constitution will be amended in time for Donald Trump to see a revised version,” Dr. Stephen J. Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, told The Independent. “It is very hard to change the Constitution."
Virginia’s legislative session is over. Here’s what’s headed to Youngkin (Daily Press)
“Virginia politics today is very different than a generation ago,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.
Tensions escalate as Trump and Zelenskyy clash at White House (CHCH TV Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
“Well, this is really pretty unprecedented. If you look at the way that publicly leaders intereat with each other, even enemies or potential adversaries do not level this kind of verbal combat against each other,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.
Commentary: In fight against Trump, D.C. Dems should look to Richmond (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
In the legislative session that concluded Feb. 22, Virginia’s Democratic lawmakers demonstrated that they have something to teach Democratic members of the U.S. Congress about shaping public discourse, promoting their party and fighting back against executive branch power.
Does the number of bills a Virginia delegate passed matter in this fall’s election? (WVTF)
University of Mary Washington political science Professor Stephen Farnsworth said getting bills passed, or not passed, can be a campaign message either way. “You can claim credit for introducing an idea even if it goes nowhere,” he said. “And you can blame the other side for standing in the way.”
