Radford University Experts Available for Interviews on Political Violence, Early Voting in Virginia, School Safety, and the Impact of Fed Interest Rate Cuts

Radford, VA (09/19/2024) —

Political violence.
Plus, early voting in Virginia

Radford University professor and chair of the Department of Political Science Chapman Rackaway, is available this week to speak with media on a number of topics, including a second assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump, the rising specter of political violence and how campaigns may or may not alter their strategies. Plus, early voting in Virginia begins Friday, Sept. 20. Dr. Rackaway is available to speak about the rise of early voting as a process, its effects on turnout, and why more people are opting to vote early.

Rackaway is an expert on the U.S. presidency, American voting behavior, campaign strategy and management, political communication, social media in politics, and political polarization.

Email: crackaway@radford.edu
Phone: 540-831-6602

Need a political analyst? Chapman Rackaway is your guy. He does media appearances regularly with regional, state and national media. Please reach out to Justin Ward, director of media services, jward53@radford.edu for scheduling.

In addition, Associate Professor of Political Science Daniel C. Reed is available to offer expertise on the upcoming presidential election and voting behavior, with a particular focus on political parties.

Email: dreed33@radford.edu

School safety

Ensuring safe schools is a necessity, and the recent high-profile school threats have understandably caused some distress in our communities, said Philp Mongan, an associate professor in Radford University's School of Social Work. However, "Virginia schools are well equipped with state-mandated threat assessment teams that can help ensure this safety when threats arise.," he said.

Mongan's research focuses on extreme school violence, including threat assessment, prevention strategies, and treatment for potential perpetrators. He is the author of Rampage School Shootings: Why They Occur and How to Prevent Them (Cognella, 2020).

Email: pmongan@radford.edu
Phone: 540-831-7685

How will Fed interest rate cuts affect Americans?

The Federal Reserve is expected to announced Wednesday its first interest rate cut in four years. Radford University Associate Professor of Economics Thomas Duncan is available to speak about what rate cuts could mean for Americans in terms of inflation and employment rates. Duncan can also address the effects rate cuts could have on the November presidential election.

"In general, presidents have far less influence over the economy than most voters give them credit for," Duncan said. "The Fed's activity is FAR more influential."

"A strong economy typically helps the incumbent candidate. Harris is not technically the incumbent, but the party is. So, if a cut boosts the economy currently (even if only in the short run), it may help that side," Duncan said. "If the Republicans can spin the cut as a signal the economy is beginning to struggle, they may find a bump. It depends on how it is sold and what the numbers look like by November."

Email: tduncan13@radford.edu
Phone: 540-831-6057