(Commentary co-written by Kyle Kondik of UVA’s Center for Politics) Joe Biden’s challenge on Super Tuesday was to build on his victory in South Carolina and defend the other Southern states from incursions by Bernie Sanders. Not only did he accomplish that, but Biden was William Tecumseh Sherman in reverse – using the South as a springboard to move North in force. We were not particularly surprised that Biden won every Southern state, but Biden winning Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota was stunning.
(Commentary co-written by Kyle Kondik of UVA’s Center for Politics) The wave that Joe Biden rode to a surprisingly strong Super Tuesday is showing no signs of abating. Quinnipiac University released fresh national polling today finding Biden up 16 and 19 points, respectively, on Bernie Sanders. As strong as those leads are, much of the state-level polling from the past few days of the March 10 and 17 primaries shows leads for Biden that are even larger than those national surveys.
Both Biden and Sanders have expressed enthusiasm for the idea, so the speculation is on – could it be Kamala Harris? Amy Klobuchar? Stacey Abrams? Even Warren herself? But not everyone who hopes to eventually see a woman in the White House is so enthused about the idea that the first to do so would be relegated to the No. 2 spot. And at time when part of the electorate is so vocally ready for a break from the string of men who’ve held the Oval Office since – well, since it was built – it’s hard not to see such a pick as something akin to window dressing. As Jennifer Lawless, a professor at the...
Both Biden and Sanders have expressed enthusiasm for the idea, so the speculation is on – could it be Kamala Harris? Amy Klobuchar? Stacey Abrams? Even Warren herself? But not everyone who hopes to eventually see a woman in the White House is so enthused about the idea that the first to do so would be relegated to the No. 2 spot. And at time when part of the electorate is so vocally ready for a break from the string of men who’ve held the Oval Office since – well, since it was built – it’s hard not to see such a pick as something akin to window dressing. As Jennifer Lawless, a professor at the...
Research conducted at the UVA School of Medicine may help find ways to treat high blood pressure caused by obesity. The researchers discovered why obesity causes high blood pressure, and they have already confirmed their discovery in human tissue samples.
No cases have been reported in the Charlottesville area, but the city is meeting weekly with partners at the Virginia Department of Health's Thomas Jefferson Health District, Albemarle County and the University of Virginia to prepare. More frequent planning and coordination meetings will occur if needed.
Connecticut’s legal community is saying farewell to John Merchant, a man known for breaking barriers, and regarded as a trailblazer among civil-rights lawyers and black attorneys. Merchant died Thursday. He was 87. In 1958, he became the first black student to graduate from the University of Virginia Law School.
As more cases of the coronavirus are confirmed throughout the country and world, the University of Virginia is prohibiting university-related travel to China, Iran, South Korea and Italy. Staff members who have traveled to those areas are being asked to self-isolate for two weeks.
The University of Virginia today announced its goals to support the development of between 1,000 and 1,500 affordable housing units in Charlottesville and Albemarle County on parcels owned by the university and the UVA Foundation.
A packed town hall Monday evening at Charlottesville High School focused on how Virginia can become more inclusive, as state leaders unveiled a draft strategic plan about diversity, equity and inclusivity. Within the framework of “Inclusive Excellence,” improving diversity, equity and inclusivity becomes everyone’s job, said Kevin McDonald, UVA’s vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Hugging the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Charlottesville is the college town equivalent of everyone’s overachieving older sister.
UVA forward Mamadi Diakite occasionally lets himself read online comments about teammate Kihei Clark. They’re often unflattering, and they typically reference Clark’s height (listed at 5-foot-9) or limited offensive repertoire. Diakite shakes his head and laughs at the criticism. “Kihei is the heart of the team, but people don’t realize that,” Diakite said.
The Building Goodness Foundation hosted a continental breakfast in honor of International Women’s Day at CitySpace early Friday. Guest speaker Danielle Hopkins, founder of Inclusive Finance Consulting and a lecturer at UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, spoke about her work with women in developing countries.
As Liberation and Freedom Days winds down, and with the future of Confederate statues in Charlottesville and Albemarle County up in the air, one event is taking a look at the historical context behind the monuments. Jalane Schmidt, a professor of race and religion at the University of Virginia, regularly leads walking tours of the city’s Confederate monuments with Andrea Douglas, the executive director of the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center.
Sanders lost the delegate lead as a result of Biden’s Super Tuesday romp last week. If the self-declared democratic socialist doesn’t reclaim his momentum in Michigan, his campaign might not be able to catch up, analysts say. "I would say the onus is clearly on Sanders," said Larry Sabato of the UVA Center for Politics. "He’s got to win Michigan. If he does not win Michigan again, no matter how close it may be, his candidacy goes into the long fade."
Jennifer Lawless, who studies women in politics at the University of Virginia, cited research indicating that some voters have a baseline gender preference. Lawless said women, to the extent that they are stereotyped as more cooperative and empathetic, might see a boost in judicial races from voters who want judges with those qualities. And the “electability” concerns that seem to doom women competing, for example, for president, come into play less in races voters view as lower stakes.
Sanders’ rise struck fear in the Democratic establishment, which worried about the down-ballot impact of a contender who embraces some tenets of the socialist agenda, even if some of the senator’s plans are popular, like universal health care and free education. That worry has ebbed to some degree as Biden surged after Super Tuesday and now leads in the delegate count toward the nomination. “That sound you hear from coast to coast is the exhaling of Democratic Party moderates,” said Larry Sabato, director of UVA’s Center for Politics.
If President Donald Trump wins re-election, Democrats would need to net a fourth seat because the vice president’s party would break a 50-50 tie. “Democrats will need to win the bulk of competitive races, but the seats are there,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia.
There hasn’t been a poll conducted of Ohio voters since last fall, long enough ago that the results page feels like a historical artifact. Emerson reported that 1% of Ohioans supported candidates John Delaney and Steve Bullock? And just who is Joe Sestak and Wayne Messam? “We’re flying a little bit blind right now,” said Kyle Kondik, an Ohio native who works for UVA’s Center for Politics. “There’s not really much fresh polling.”
The 26th iteration of the festival is set to kick off in Charlottesville on March 18. Right now, organizers say they still plan to hold the festival. The festival is developing “parallel” plans for various situations alongside UVA’s Emergency Management Department.