Kudzu Vine Southern Politics

Dante Chinni is a data and political journalist and director of the American Communities Project, which is based at the MSU J-School. He is a winner of the Knight-Batten Award for Innovation in Journalism and co-author of the book Our Patchwork Nation. Chinni is a contributor to and writer for the Wall Street Journal and to NBC News's Meet the Press, for which he produces the weekly Data Download segment.

Starting in November of 2022, the American Communities Project is embarking on a three-year study of American Fragmentation, funded by a $2.4 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. That study will combine survey research, data analysis and on-the-ground reporting in an effort to better understand what is dividing the country and what might help stitch it back together.

A graduate of Michigan State, when Dante is not in East Lansing he can usually be found living in Washington with his wife Christina Ianzito and their dog Skeeter.

Milan will join to discuss data and research regarding the 2024 elections.

Bitecofer graduated from the University of Oregon where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science and earned her Ph.D. in political science and international affairs from the University of Georgia. In 2015 she became a lecturer at Christopher Newport University and assistant director of the Wason Center for Public Policy where she conducted polling. In 2019 she applied to convert her position to tenure track, which would lighten her teaching responsibilities, but was denied by the university. As a result, she resigned her position and went to work for the Niskanen Center, a centrist think tank in Washington, D.C. Bitecofer's analysis has appeared on multiple media platforms including MSNBC and The New York Times. She wrote the 2017 book The Unprecedented 2016 Presidential Election on the election of Donald Trump and runs a podcast titled The Election Whisperer hosted by Substack. Today she runs Strike Pac, a liberal super PAC.

Dr. Justin Vaughn will join us to discuss the Presidential Greatness Project: http://www.brandonrottinghaus.com/uploads/1/0/8/7/108798321/presidential_greatness_white_paper_2024.pdf

Steve Singiser has been a contributing editor at Daily Kos since 2009. Though most of his work can be found at Daily Kos Elections, he also can be read from time to time at Daily Kos Labor. Steve has been a teacher and coach in the Los Angeles area since 1997, and he makes his home there with his wife Kristina and their children Cody and Makenzie. After losing nearly 100 pounds, he developed a love for distance running, and will break into the sub-21 minute bracket in the 5K, or collapse heading in that direction.

Bitecofer graduated from the University of Oregon where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science and earned her Ph.D. in political science and international affairs from the University of Georgia. In 2015 she became a lecturer at Christopher Newport University and assistant director of the Wason Center for Public Policy where she conducted polling. In 2019 she applied to convert her position to tenure track, which would lighten her teaching responsibilities, but was denied by the university. As a result, she resigned her position and went to work for the Niskanen Center, a centrist think tank in Washington, D.C. Bitecofer's analysis has appeared on multiple media platforms including MSNBC and The New York Times. She wrote the 2017 book The Unprecedented 2016 Presidential Election on the election of Donald Trump and runs a podcast titled The Election Whisperer hosted by Substack. Today she runs Strike Pac, a liberal super PAC.