Cornell College Associate Professor of American Politics Megan Goldberg, alongside The Gazette’s Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy, discussed the midterm races in Iowa on Fox News’ “Special Report” with Bret Baier.
The interview took place outside in downtown Cedar Rapids, and Goldberg was asked about many topics, including the U.S. Senate race between Ashley Hinson and Josh Turek.
“I think that this has come as a bit of a surprise to me that I wouldn’t have said a year ago that this was an especially competitive race,” Goldberg said during the interview. “But I think that there was a really competitive primary on the democratic side, and that really helps sharpen those candidates and winnow them. And then we’ve also seen the national context shifting, so I think that has sort of led to this very toss-up race we have here.”
Goldberg also discussed diesel prices and how Iowa’s closely contested races could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House and Senate.
“I think it’s really a return for Iowa to the political universe in many, many ways. It’s a time when voters are extremely energized,” Goldberg said. “I’ve been working with college students, and we have talked to over 30% of our campus in Mount Vernon, and they’ve updated their registration. There’s an energy that we haven’t felt since we had broadly competitive caucuses.”
Goldberg began teaching at Cornell College in 2019-20 and has shared her expertise with news outlets since her arrival on the Hilltop. The associate professor’s research focuses on the dynamics of state and local politics in an increasingly nationalized political environment, including partisan conflict between state and local governments. Goldberg is also very active on campus, encouraging students to interact with political campaigns and supporting involvement in student voter registration initiatives.