@raylaraja

UMass political scientist, co-director @UMassPoll, elections, pol parties, campaign finance, Mets fan and Iron Chef contender

 Amherst, Massachusetts
polsci.umass.edu/people/ray-la-raja
Joined April 2010
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Americans agree on corruption, but partisanship shapes who is blamed. This is going to be a big issue for Americans. My @UMassPoll analysis with @zack_albert123 @TatisheNteta brookings.edu/articles/ameri…

Americans agree on corruption, but partisanship shapes who is blamed | Brookings

Raymond La Raja and co-authors show how partisanship colors Americans’ views of corruption and what reforms could help.

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democracyproject.org/posts/s… Comments about we learned about small donors in our research, for @NYULawDemProjct with @zack_albert123 . It may surprise you.

Small Donors Aren’t the Democratic Cure We Imagined

A broad range of views on democracy to help break the stalemate caused by partisan conflict.

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New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Over Two-thirds of Americans Disapprove of President Trump’s Handling of Iran War, as 4-in-5 Say the War Has Increased Food and Gas Prices : UMass Amherst umass.edu/news/article/new-u…

New UMass Amherst Poll Finds Over Two-thirds of Americans Disapprove of President Trump’s Handling...

The new poll finds Trump’s overall approval down to 32%, as Republican approval of the president has fallen 14 points since April and 1 in 6 Trump voters say they would not vote for him again.

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Citing findings in new book w @zack_albert123 on small donors @davidfrum argues positive aspects of NRSC v FEC decision. Better more $$ flows thru parties not Super PACs, an argument I've made w @b_schaffner in book, and @jon_rauch @BrookingsInst . theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0…

A Win for American Democracy

The Supreme Court has restored power—financial and otherwise—to political parties in elections.

theatlantic.com
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Ray La Raja retweeted
Brian Schaffner@b_schaffnerJul 13
from 2024 to 2025 there was a stunning 8-point drop in the share of Jewish Americans who identified as Democrats, but it is not clear that this will translate into a shift in voting behavior in November. my latest piece for @goodauth goodauthority.org/news/are-j…

Are Jewish Americans really leaving the Democratic Party?

Recent data shows a significant drop in Jewish identification with the Democratic Party. Is this a temporary blip or a sign of deeper shifts ahead? Explore the numbers and what they mean for 2026.

goodauthority.org
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A realist perspective on small donors in US Politics from me and @zack_albert123 podcast interview by @MattGrossmann @NiskanenCenter niskanencenter.org/the-rise-…

The rise of small donors is mostly making politics worse - Niskanen Center

Ray La Raja and Zach Albert find that small donors are just as advantaged, partisan, and extreme as larger donors.

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The interview explains key points in our book press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books…

Small Donors in US Politics

A myth-busting investigation of small donors: who they are, how they spend their money, and whose campaigns actually benefit from their donations. Many political reformers argue that more robust...

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And so does this podcast @TGB_podcast, with more upfront personal story about how I got into the business of studying politics. greatbattlefield.com/episode…

Small Donors in U.S. Politics with Ray La Raja - The Great Battlefield Podcast

Ray La Raja joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about his career as a Professor of Political Science at UMass Amherst and his book "Small Donors in U.S. Politics: Myth and Reality".

greatbattlefield.com
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A new @UMassPoll suggests that Americans remain more united in their civic identity than in their politics. brookings.edu/interactive/mo…

Most Americans agree on basic civic ideals | Brookings

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With @BrandeisU and @UMassAmherst
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We discuss some of these themes for @BrookingsInst Governance Studies — are small donors the solution to democracy's problems? Our short answer: it's complicated. brookings.edu/articles/are-s…

Are small donors the solution to democracy’s problems? | Brookings

Campaign finance regimes that increase the number of small donors may not be a solution to America's democracy woes.

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11/ Small donors should be part of healthy democratic system. But expanding their role involves trade-offs. Our book examines trade-offs with reforms to maximize democratic benefits while limiting unintended consequences. Use code UCPNEW for 30% off! press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books…

Small Donors in US Politics

A myth-busting investigation of small donors: who they are, how they spend their money, and whose campaigns actually benefit from their donations. Many political reformers argue that more robust...

press.uchicago.edu
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