A Look at the 2026 Midterms with Northwestern Professor Larry Stuelpnagel
You are invited to the first NEO-EPL Mini-Course of the 2026-27 academic year--and the 22nd since this series began in 2019! Prof. emer. Larry Stuelpnagel of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism and Department of Political Science will present two sessions--one immediately before the midterms (October 29) and one immediately after the midterms--to contextualize these hugely consequential elections, first in the Future Tense, then a week later in . . . Past Imperfect.
Course Description: This mini-course will begin with a history of some of the most consequential midterm elections in American history and their impact. In 2026, President Donald Trump, facing declining popularity due the war with Iran and rising inflation, has taken unprecedented actions to make it harder for Democrats to regain the reins in Congress. His Republican allies redrew congressional districts in conservative Red states to try to insure keeping their congressional majorities. That move was countered by Democrats in Blue states. Trump also cast doubt on the validity of mail-in ballots based on the unproven 2020 accusation of massive voter fraud when he lost. Historians and critics have labeled that the Big Lie.
Both Republicans and Democrats say democracy is at stake with the 2026 midterm outcome.
About Our Presenter: Larry Stuelpnagel is Professor of Practice Emeritus in the Medill School of Journalism and Northwestern's Department of Political Science. In 2011 he was named a Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished University Teaching Lecturer. Prior to coming to Northwestern Larry was an Emmy Award winning reporter for 25 years. For fifteen of them he covered politics and the New Jersey State House for New Jersey Public TV and WNET, New York. For ten years he was on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in Chicago. He continues to judge Emmy competitions from across the U.S. in his retirement.
About This Series: These mini-courses, now in their eighth year, have been a successful partnership between Evanston Public Library and the Northwestern Emeriti Organization and its approximately 700 members representing all three Northwestern campuses--Evanston, Chicago, and Qatar--and virtually every academic department. In 2021, the NEO-EPL mini-courses were named the recipient of the AROHE Innovation Award for Contributions to University-Community Relations by the Association of Retiree Organizations in Higher Education.
Registrations are required! As the dates then approach, you may opt to attend in-person or via webinar. Webinar information will be sent to all registered participants 7-10 days before the first session.
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