By Donald Gilpin

As the country and the world continue to ponder the results of the 2024 election, Princeton University’s School for Public and International Affairs (SPIA) Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP) has assembled a panel of experts to help shed light on “What Happened and Why?” The event will take place on Monday, December 2, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in Bowl 016 at Robertson Hall on Washington Road.

“This panel will bring together a blend of expertise, perspectives, and professional experiences that we hope will foster a nuanced, informed discussion of the election results,” said Princeton University Politics Professor and CSDP Co-Director Tali Mendelberg, who will moderate the discussion. “In this era of polarization and information silos, it is vital to offer accurate analysis and to represent diverse views about the state of American politics.”

Panelists will include Betsy Ankney, political strategist and Nikki Haley’s campaign manager; CBS News elections analyst and Princeton University Ph.D. graduate Kabir Khanna; Dorian Warren, public affairs commentator and president of Community Change, co-chair of the Economic Security Project, and co-host of System Check; and Lauren Wright, associate research scholar and lecturer in politics and public affairs at Princeton University with a focus on political communication, including media coverage, candidates’ strategies, and public perceptions.

“This panel will provide insights into a closely fought electoral contest with enormous stakes for the health of American democracy and the well-being of people around the world,” said Mendelberg. “Panelists will address key questions surrounding the results: Which demographics were pivotal to the outcome? How did campaigns strategize to appeal to different groups? What was the role of race and gender? Was the result the outcome of economic conditions? Was there a protest vote, and what is the nature of the discontent?”

Mendelberg, who is also the director of the Program on Inequality at the Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice at Princeton University, noted that the panel was designed “to foster constructive conversation that bridges divides and identifies common ground in addressing shared challenges.” A topic of particular interest to Democrats, she suggested, might be shifts in the electorate, as well as voter behavior, turnout patterns, and messaging strategies that could help the party “reconnect with constituencies where they have lost ground, including suburban voters, young people, and communities of color.”

Mendelberg went on to state that this event would go beyond partisan talking points to explore the “why” behind the election numbers. “While the panel will explore national trends, these shifts will have implications at the local level as well,” she wrote in an email. “Ultimately this event isn’t just about what happened; it’s also about understanding the present and preparing for the future.”

The CSDP website notes, “This event provides a rare opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes look at the election from experts who analyze, shape, and report on the electoral landscape.”

Visit spia.princeton.edu for more information and registration.