By Jay Blanton and Kody Kiser
Tuesday will mark one of the most important — and certainly unusual — elections in decades.
Local, state and federal elections are being contested in the midst of a pandemic and in the wake of unrest across the country around issues of racism. The country is deeply polarized. Recovery from a deep recession is uneven and unsure. Congress is in a stalemate over whether to provide more stimulus as part of relief from COVID-19.
Tuesday night — and the days afterward — will determine who controls both the House and the Senate as well as the presidency. In Kentucky, major races for the U.S. Senate, Congress and local legislative offices have captured national attention and drawn tens of millions of dollars in contributions from individuals and groups across the country.
To help sort out all the questions and bring clarity to a confusing and anxious election season, "Behind the Blue" interviewed Stephen Voss, an associate professor of political science at UK, and resident expert in elections and voting behavior. In this episode, Voss discusses potential outcomes in a number of races, the vagaries of polling and how deeply divided politically our country is right now.
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For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue.
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The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion three years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a “Great College to Work for" three years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers." We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for four straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.