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Debra Leiter

@debraleiter.bsky.social
761 followers 2.4K following 27 posts

Associate Professor of Political Scientist at UMKC. Proud comparativist. Warning: Be prepared to hear about political science. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Why did Kansas choose not to switch to elections for Supreme Court justices? In a new op-ed in the KC star, Ben Woodson and I report preliminary results of our study prior to and after the August elections, showing suprising changes in what motivated voters. www.kansascity.com/opinion/arti...
kansascity.com
Why Kansas voted no on electing Supreme Court justices might surprise you | Opinion
A new study shows how the campaign against the referendum worked — and it wasn’t about political partisanship. | Opinion
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Interrupting my usual poli sci message… to ask for a vote! (It’s always Poli Sci). My band, Mighty Mo Jazz Orchestra, has been nominated for a Best In KC Jazz award by the Pitch! Please vote for us to support local community jazz vote.thepitchkc.com/arts-and-ent...
Best of KC 2026 Pitch Magazine- Mighty Mo Jazz orchestra for best jazz band.  Photo of our awesome saxes and trombones
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
@juliamarinhellwege.bsky.social shout out to Julia for just being a kick-tail problem solver!! We should all be so cool!
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Some fantastic political science today at the Great Plains Political Science Conference @umkc.bsky.social
Photo of gppsa presentation
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
I know people love political scientists, but we don’t usually get a parade! At ISA-MW in St. Louis.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
At the start of the term, voters seemed skeptical of the “iron rule” of midterm loss. More recent data from @verasight.io paints a more complex picture. Check out our (@marystegmaier.bsky.social & Mike Lewis-Beck) new piece @center4politics.bsky.social centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/...
centerforpolitics.org
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Just came across this great piece by Claassen, Ackermann and Zechmeister about measuring attitudes towards democracy, and it’s great. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
journals.sagepub.com
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Does anyone else ever get a song stuck in your head when you are reading academic work? For me just one paper on wishful thinking or even motivated reasoning and I have Go West blaring in my head for the next two days.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Does resentment drive policies attitudes that impact women and families? Nicole Kalaf-Hughes and I find clear impacts in our new article in ConLawNow. Open access! ideaexchange.uakron.edu/conlawnow/vo...
ideaexchange.uakron.edu
It's Not About Children: How Gender Resentment Shapes Public Opinion on Abortion in the United States
The debate around women’s reproductive health care, and particularly restrictions on abortion, remains a hotly contested area of American politics. Increasingly, restrictions on abortion access have b...
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Will 2026 see the classic midterm loss? Voters aren't so sure. Using @verasight.bsky.social data, @marystegmaier.bsky.social, Michael Lewis-Beck and I see voters uncertain of the "iron law" of midterm loss. Today @center4politics.bsky.social's Crystal Ball. centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/...
centerforpolitics.org
The Midterm Loss Rule: What Do Voters Expect in 2026? - Sabato's Crystal Ball
The public's early assessment of which party will win control of Congress in 2026
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Reposted by Debra Leiter
Catherine E. de Vries @catherinedevries.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
🗳️ Populism is a warning sign. English local elections show it again: People feel abandoned & look scapegoats. Drawing on own research & others, I argue 👇🏽 💡 To counter populism: We need to reinvest in citizens, e.g. housing, health & dignity. Short 🧵 📖 www.socialeurope.eu/to-counter-p...
socialeurope.eu
To Counter Populism and Bolster Security, Europe Must Reinvest In Its Citizens
Facing security threats and rising populism, Europe needs state investment in citizens, not austerity that fuelled discontent.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
This is just very, very cool.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Our new paper in PRQ examines how resentment shapes efficacy- we find high resentment lowers external but raises internal- folks with high resentment think they understand the system all too well. t.co/Sa6SFyKtTC
t.co
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10659129251336169
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
A great APSA resource!
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
Does it ever feel like some parties are immune from scandal? We check! Newest article with Beth Vonnahme in JEPOP. Thanks to are amazing editors - the entire special issue is awesome www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
tandfonline.com
Are some parties immune from scandal? Party family, scandal exposure, and party evaluation
Across Europe, the populist far-right has seen increasing electoral success, often by criticizing political elites as disconnected, failed, and inherently corrupt. Yet for all their emphasis on “cl...
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
New paper in press! Check out our new article discussing the evolution and impact of political-economy forecasting models and where they are going in future. So proud to be a part of this amazing team of co-authors. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Election forecasting: Political economy models
We draw globally on a major election forecasting tool, political economy models. Vote intention polls in pre-election public surveys are a widely know…
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Who is in government matters- the opportunities start here. If you are able, please consider supporting our students seeing themselves in the halls of power. Support a student. Shape the future. giving.umkc.edu/schools/Univ...
giving.umkc.edu
Student Legislative Internships
Join me this Giving Day in helping legislative interns with their travel costs!
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Reposted by Debra Leiter
Colin Brown @colinmbrown.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
New issue of the Political Science Educator is available! educate.apsanet.org/political-sc... Great contributions by @edorssom.bsky.social, @ozlemtuncel.bsky.social, @thornburg.bsky.social, and @debraleiter.bsky.social among others #TeachLearnSky #Polisky #EduSky
educate.apsanet.org
Political Science Educator: Volume 28, Issue 2
A Newsletter from APSA's Political Science Education Organized Section Volume 28, Issue 2 - Winter/Spring 2025 Editors: Matt Evans (Northwest Arkansas Community College) & Colin M. Brown (Northeastern...
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Want a quick and engaging lesson on forecasting? Check out @danijoemartin.bsky.social and my new piece in the APSA Educator on Super Bowl forecasting. educate.apsanet.org/super-bowl-f...
educate.apsanet.org
Super Bowl Forecasting: Turning the Big Game into a Big Lesson
Everyone loves a nail-biter, a close competition where the winner is left in doubt until the very last minute. When the stakes are high, people care about winning and everyone pays attention.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Free parking was one of the most engaging discussions and debates in my environmental politics class. I never met Donald Shoup but he will be missed. Sharing his work here shoup.bol.ucla.edu/PrefaceHighC...
shoup.bol.ucla.edu
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
My UMKC students have a Super Bowl forecast: KC 31, Philly 26! Now you know!
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
APSA deadline extended til the 20th! Consider submitting to the Political Forecasting Related Group- there’s a lot of politics to forecast this year!
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
If you are an elections person for any and all regions of the world, this year has been WILD and nothing is slowing down for next year.
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Saying the quiet part out loud: “That would not be novel in Washington, D.C.,” said Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, when asked whether the allegations about Mr. Hegseth’s treatment of women and alcohol abuse would be disqualifying.” www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12...
nytimes.com
Trump Considers Others for Defense Secretary as Hegseth Meets With Senators: Live Updates
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Debra Leiter @debraleiter.bsky.social · 14/11/2024
Finally heading over - All these awesome starter packs have made it so much easier!
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