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Profs & Pints: Handicapping the Democratic Primaries

Profs and Pints presents: Handicapping the Democratic Primaries, with David Barker, professor of government and director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University.

In races between political candidates, its important to consider not just the strengths of the contestants, but the rules of the game and the conditions of the field. The relative advantages of insiders versus outsiders, sprinters versus marathoners, and clean runners versus mudders can vary tremendously from one place or time to the next. Our electoral systems status as one of the most complicated in the world does not make understanding it any easier, and media pundits are rarely much help.

Profs and Pints is offering you a chance to gain a sophisticated knowledge of the factors at play as we look to see who will emerge from a crowded field of Democratic candidates vying to be their partys nominee for president and evaluate their chances of winning in 2020. Coming to the stage to help you make sense of it all is David Barker, who previously has given illuminating talks on Congressional gridlock and the impact of alternative facts in American politics. Drawing upon his decades of research, Professor barker will tackle questions such as:

How does the primary and caucus calendar affect the outcome? Which candidates does such timing favor?
How do the rules vary, and which candidates have an advantage in primaries vs. caucuses, or open primaries vs. closed primaries?
How is electability shaping this contest? How are related considerations pertaining to race, gender, sexuality, religion, age and ideological extremism?
How do campaign strategies differ in nominations vs. general elections?
Who is running the smartest campaign?
How are the media influencing this race so far, and is that likely to change?
What role do party insiders play, and who are they lining up behind?

You might not end up feeling like a winner after the ballots are counted, youll at least have less of a chance of being surprised.(Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15, save $2 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)