In his January 6 column in the Baltimore Sun, Political Science Professor and Chair Thomas Schaller wrote about his new book “The Stronghold: How Republicans Captured Congress but Surrendered the White House,” published this month by Yale University Press. In his column, he discussed the core argument of his book:
“My main contention is that the Republicans — and, I suppose, the Democrats too — have reached a point of ideological-institutional confluence. Specifically, in our protracted modern era of partisan polarization and divided government, it makes sense that the more conservative party dominates Congress rather than the presidency.”
In the column, he discussed that the recent history of the Republican party since the era of Bill Clinton contrasts with previous decades when Republicans won seven of ten presidential elections between 1952 and 1988. He analyzed the shift in recent years and its implications for the future of the Republican party:
“Presuming divided government is indeed the new normal, conservatives should prefer that Republicans control Capitol Hill rather than occupy the Oval Office. But whatever its allures, a Republican Party defined by its congressional wing is risky political business for the GOP.”
To read the full column titled “Conservatives better suited to Congress,” click here.
Schaller is scheduled to present a talk on his book at Baltimore’s Ivy Bookshop on Wednesday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. For more information, click here.
Tags: CAHSS, PoliticalScience
