Read time:
Whether accurately predicting the outcome of the elections via innovative election forecasting and polling or offering insight and analysis to scores of national and international media outlets, the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University is emerging as a go-to source for U.S. political analysis.
Wason Center Director Quentin Kidd’s analysis of poll results and political trends garnered hundreds of media mentions as well as frequent interviews with The Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Associated Press and many other media outlets.
Wason Center Assistant Director Rachel Bitecofer’s unique Negative Partisanship forecasting model allowed her to accurately predict the blue wave in the 2018 congressional elections five months before Election Day, far earlier than other forecasters. Her forecast has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Cook Political Report, and dozens more state, national and international media outlets.
“Our goal is to bring new and useful information to voters, journalists, and everyone involved in politics and government,” Kidd says. “To see the Wason Center’s reach grow so quickly is immensely rewarding and inspires us to expand our efforts for the 2020 elections.”
The namesake of the Wason Center has been inspired by politics and political leaders for much of her professional life. Judy Ford Wason established the center in 2007 at Christopher Newport. Her goal was to connect CNU students, the public, and political leaders and foster opportunities for civic engagement.
In addition to providing polling and analysis for campaigns and candidates, the Wason Center hosts forums on political topics, gives undergraduate research fellows an opportunity to conduct and publish original research and exposes dozens of students annually to survey data collection best practices.