News

In the aftermath of Pres. Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race, KTVU interviews IGS Co-director Schickler offers his take on potential contenders out of California

July 21, 2024
Andre Torrez

With Biden stepping down, Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom are seen as Democratic frontrunners. UC Berkeley's Eric Schickler believes Harris has the edge, especially with Biden's backing, and her nomination could be historic as the first Black woman president. Republicans may struggle to cast Harris as weak on crime due to her prosecutorial background.

From the article: Vice President Kamala Harris is the logical successor to Biden since that is essentially the function of a vice president should they become incapacitated in any way...

Despite a 2023 IGS Poll finding a majority of Californians disatisfied with VP Harris, Democratic voters seem to be warming to her candidacy, Cal Matters reports

July 16, 2024
Calmatters Network

With President Biden’s 2024 bid in question, Kamala Harris is gaining renewed attention. Though her vice presidency has faced criticism, recent IGS poll show growing Democratic support for her as a presidential candidate. Born and raised in California, Harris’ career spans from district attorney to U.S. senator, marked by a pragmatic approach to politics. Known for her focus on criminal justice reform and tackling sex crimes, Harris has been both praised and criticized for her cautious, non-ideological stances.

From the article: Now that voters are reconsidering...

In light of the assassination attempt on Former Pres. Trump, IGS Co-Director Schickler contextualizes the history of political assassinations in this July LA Times Article

July 13, 2024
Daniel Miller, Hannah Wiley and Tony Briscoe

In a historic moment echoing past political violence, former President Donald Trump was injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attack, which left one attendee dead and two critically injured, recalls assassination attempts on figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Gerald Ford. Trump, though briefly downed, was later reported to be "fine." Eric Schickler, a political science professor at UC Berkeley, noted that many Americans today aren't familiar with the political violence of the 1960s and '70s, making the attack even more shocking. The incident has...

Joe Biden vs. Dianne Feinstein; Co-Director Eric Schickler questions Democrats' "reluctance to undermine somebody that had been important in the party" in San Francisco Chronicle article

July 5, 2024
Shira Stein, Joe Garofoli, Sara Libby

Democrats are increasingly concerned about President Joe Biden's electability, drawing parallels to Senator Dianne Feinstein's declining mental acuity. Eric Schickler, a political science professor at UC Berkeley, notes that while there’s reluctance to challenge aging party elders, the stakes with Biden are much higher. Unlike Feinstein, whose resignation would have ensured a Democratic replacement, Biden’s potential exit raises complex risks for the party.

From the article: “Democrats have had the tendency to think, ‘Well, we owe it to the person. They’ve been good...

IGS poll results underscore young voters' disillusionment with the current election cycle, Berkeley News reports

June 26, 2024
Edward Lempinen

Young voters from the millennial and Gen Z generations are emerging as a powerful force in American politics, but an IGS poll revealed their growing fatalism about issues like economic inequality, climate change, and democracy's future. Researchers express concern about low turnout in 2024 due to disillusionment with government effectiveness. Findings show a convergence of values among young liberals and conservatives seeking action, yet a pervasive sense of hopelessness may impact their engagement in the upcoming election.

From the article: A key finding is that...

IGS Poll highlighted in Miami Herald article discussing term limits for D.A.s and sheriffs

June 25, 2024
Caroline Petrow-Cohen

An IGS poll was cited in a Miami Herlad article discussing California term limits, showing that a significant majority of California voters are in favor of term limits for local elected officials, such as county supervisors, district attorneys, and sheriffs. Experts suggest that this support may indicate a push for new leadership in the upcoming November elections. Read the full article here.

UC Berkeley students attend IGS Presidential Debate Watch Party; quoted by AP as Democratic voters "pumped up" by VP Harris' debate performance

September 11, 2024

UC Berkeley students Dushant Puri, 19, and Angel Aldaco, 21, attended the September 10th Presidential Debate Watch Party hosted by IGS. The Associate Press captured moments from the event, and quoted both students in their recap article, "To pumped-up Democrats, Harris was everything Biden was not in confronting Trump in debate".

From the article: Harris supporter Dushant Puri, 19, a UC Berkeley student, said the vice president took command before the first words were spoken — when she crossed the stage to shake Trump’s hand. “I...

IGS Newsletters

Summer 2024 Spring 2024 Fall 2023 Summer 2023 Spring 2023...

"We The Cities" is looking for community-minded student researchers!

August 22, 2024
You are invited to get involved in the We the Cities Project at the Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS)!

Are you interested in public service? Do you love your home town and all things local? Do you want to help build American democracy for the coming generations? We the Cities might be for you! IGS Resident Scholar and lawyer/law professor KathleenMorris is leading a pilot project whose goal is to intentionally and thoughtfully build bridges for community-minded students and community activists into local public service....

Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress this Week (July 31 - Aug 12)

July 31, 2024
Berkeley IGS Poll in Progress This Week

This week the Institute of Governmental Studies will be conducting another of its periodic polls of the California public about major political and public policy issues facing the state. It is a legitimate non-partisan poll sponsored by the University that is carried out by distributing email invitations via Qualtrics to a carefully constructed random sample of the state’s registered voters. Data collection will continue through Monday, August 12.

The opinions of all survey participants will remain confidential and not be...