As you plan your election coverage over the coming weeks, Loyola Marymount University will provide one-stop shopping for all your election coverage needs! Our political experts who can provide unique insights into national, state and local election races in English and Spanish. Available for both pre- and post-election coverage, LMU experts can discuss the candidates, issues and trends that will affect our future. We also have an Election Day exit poll with a proven record of accuracy.
The Race for the Presidency – No matter who wins, this is an historic presidential race and we’ve got the people who can clarify the issues and the possible outcomes.
Michael Genovese
Michael Genovese, professor of political science, is the chairman of the Center for Leadership studies at LMU. He has devoted much of his career to the study of the presidency. He serves as the associate editor of the journal White House Studies and editor of “The Evolving American Presidency” book series. Genovese frequently appears as a political commentator on local and national television.
John Parrish
John M. Parrish, assistant professor of political science, specializes in political ethics and comments on the presidential race and its potential outcome. He is the author of “Paradoxes of Political Ethics.”
David Ayón
David Ayón, senior research associate of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles, is an expert in U.S.-Latin American relations and Latino politics. He has also worked as an analyst, consultant and special producer for Spanish language television news during nine elections in the United States and three in Mexico. Within Latino politics, his focus is leadership, leaders and organizations.
Jim Kearney
Jim Kearney, a faculty member at LMU’s School of Film and Television, has been keeping track of this season’s bumper crop of political commercials. He has the scoop on what’s winning and losing in the political media wars. Kearney is a former correspondent for Los Angeles NPR-affiliate KPCC-FM.
National Issues — In the last weeks of the presidential campaign, the economy, the Wall Street crisis and the environment have taken center stage. Our experts break these complex issues down so readers and viewers will understand how they will affect their lives and bank accounts.
The Economy
James Devine
James Devine, professor of economics, specializes in macroeconomics, including unemployment, inflation, and labor unions, wages, etc. He has published more than 30 articles dealing with economic issues.
Andrew Healy
Andrew Healy, assistant professor of economics, has written several books on voter behavior and its impact on the economy. He believes that often voters don’t think about the long-range consequences of Election Day and that can be harmful to our economy. Healy has been featured in The Economist, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and the Drudge Report.
Global Warming
Jeremy Pal
Jeremy Pal, assistant professor of civil engineering, is one of the world’s leading experts on global warming, climate change and water resources. Pal is among the contributing authors on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes, an international collaboration of scientists that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore. Pal’s research has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Science Magazine, NPR, and CNN among others. Pal can address the dangers of climate change, its impact on our society and the importance of government action.
State, Regional and Los Angeles City Measures – Once again some of California’s state ballot issues will be the subject of national and international attention. We have some of the most respected experts keeping an eye on the trends and results. There also are some important regional and city measures.
Proposition 8 – Same Sex Marriage
Evan Gerstmann
Evan Gerstmann, professor and chair of the political science department specializes in the relationship of politics and law. He has written two books on constitutional law, “The Constitutional Class: Gays, Lesbians and the Failure of Class-Based Equal Protection” and “Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution.”
Proposition 11 – Legislative Redistricting
Mara Marks
Mara Marks, assistant professor of urban studies, has an extraordinary knowledge of urban issues in metropolitan Los Angeles . Her expertise is in community development, race and ethnic issues, urban housing and public policy issues in contemporary cities. She has studied the controversy around Prop 11.
Proposition 1A – High Speed Passenger Train Bond
Proposition 5 – Non-Violent Offender Rehabilitation Act
Proposition 6 – Safe Neighborhoods Act
Measure A – $3 property tax to fund anti-gang programs
Measure R – 1/2-cent sales tax to fund transportation
Fernando Guerra
Fernando Guerra, director of the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles and associate professor of Political Science, specializes in the analysis of statewide and local transportation, gang initiatives and Latino politics. Guerra has authored numerous publications that focus on politics and ethnicity issues in California including “Latino Politics in California: The Necessary Conditions for Success.” Guerra is a frequent radio and television commentator on NPR, Fox 11 News and KCET’s California Gold.
We have it and no one else does – The Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles 2008 Presidential Exit Poll. On Election Day, Fernando Guerra, director of the center, and his staff will dispatch 150 specially trained LMU students to voting polls throughout the city of Los Angeles to interview voters as they leave the polls. If you’re interested in a pre-election story on the poll or an Election Day feature story, just give us a call. In previous elections this poll proved to be an accurate forecast of voting trends in national, state and local races. The results of the poll will be announced at J Restaurant and Lounge, 1119 South Olive Street, Los Angeles . Call us for details.
