U-M experts for midterm elections coverage

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The University of Michigan has experts available to discuss voting behavior, voting patterns, and other aspects of the coming midterm elections. They include: Midterm seat loss patterns and predictions - ; Michael Traugott , professor of communication studies and research professor at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR) Center for Political Studies, explains the factors behind midterm seat loss patterns and predicts 2010 Congressional race outcomes. He also assesses how the outcome is likely to affect the next presidential election. To arrange an interview, e-mail: mtrau [a] umich (p) edu Voter behavior and public opinion - ; Vincent Hutchings , professor of political science and a principal investigator of the American National Election Studies, studies the circumstances that contribute to voter attentiveness, and to issue voting. He has also conducted research on how political advertising influences public attitudes about racial and ethnic groups, and about women. For more information about the American National Election Studies, visit http://www.electionstudies.org Contact Hutchings at: vincenth [a] umich (p) edu The impact of campaign advertising and news media coverage of elections - ; Nicholas Valentino , associate professor of political science and communication studies, and associate research scientist at ISR, studies how campaign communications and news media coverage of political campaigns affect the choices citizens make on election day.