Articles about events and initiatives at the Center for the Political Future and Unruh Institute, as well as contributions from our team to significant publications in California and beyond. For media inquiries, please contact cpf@usc.edu.

Friday, September 25, 2026

The Story Is With Elex Michaelson – Sen. Gary Peters to Join USC After Leaving Senate

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The Michigan Democratic senator has served terms in the Senate as well as three terms in the House of Representatives. (Photo Credit: Rebecca Hammel for the U.S. Senate Photographic Studio)
Monday, September 21, 2026

Daily Trojan – Sen. Gary Peters to be director of Center for the Political Future

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U.S. Sen. Gary Peters at USC’s Capital Campus, where he will teach and expand the Center for the Political Future’s Washington presence after completing his Senate term. (Photo: Michael Bennett Kress.)
Monday, September 21, 2026

The Detroit News – Gary Peters to direct USC politics center in post-Senate role

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Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) at the Capitol last week. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Monday, September 21, 2026

The Washington Post – Sen. Gary Peters, headed for academia, says he’s confident El-Sayed will win seat

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U.S. Sen. Gary Peters at USC’s Capital Campus, where he will teach and expand the Center for the Political Future’s Washington presence after completing his Senate term. (Photo: Michael Bennett Kress.)
Monday, September 21, 2026

USC Dornsife News – U.S. Sen. Gary Peters to lead USC Dornsife’s Center for the Political Future, named Warschaw Chair

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U.S. Sen. Gary Peters at USC’s Capital Campus, where he will teach and expand the Center for the Political Future’s Washington presence after completing his Senate term. (Photo: Michael Bennett Kress.)
Monday, September 21, 2026

USC News Release – U.S. Sen. Gary Peters to lead USC Dornsife’s Center for the Political Future

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Gavin Newsom won't run for president in 2028 if Kamala Harris participates (Source: FOX40 News)
Tuesday, September 15, 2026

FOX40 News – Gavin Newsom won’t run for president in 2028 if Kamala Harris participates

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A voting sign points toward a ballot box located outside the USC Village Community Center. (Source: Nina Kremer)
Monday, September 14, 2026

USC Annenberg Media – USC Center for the Political Future holds event for National Voter Registration Day

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From left, SDA faculty members Ahmed Best and Anita Dashiell-Sparks and recent MFA in Acting graduate Chelsea Allison perform a scene depicting a family dinner disrupted by a disagreement. (Source: Vic Grzesiuk)
Wednesday, September 9, 2026

USC School of Dramatic Arts – USC’s Open Dialogue Project Takes the Stage

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Dr. Abdul El-Sayed won Michigan’s Democratic primary race for Senate on Aug. 4, defeating the more moderate Congresswoman Haley Stevens. (Source: U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions / Wikimedia Commons)
Monday, August 31, 2026

Daily Trojan – The DSA needs to escape liberal elitism

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Six fellows will join CPF this fall amidst the 2026 midterm election campaign. Their backgrounds include campaign management, journalism, education policy, legal analysis, and elected office. (Source: Benjamin Gamson)
Monday, August 17, 2026

USC Annenberg Media – Fall 2026 CPF fellows include former Biden senior advisor, White House correspondent and Rhode Island congresswoman

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CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join award-winning journalist Madeleine Brand for a bipartisan conversation examining the political landscape ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. (Source: America at a Crossroads)
Wednesday, July 22, 2026

America at a Crossroads – Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy with Madeleine Brand

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Randy Villegas leaves a flyer at a door in Bakersfield in May as he campaigns for California’s 22nd Congressional District. Villegas will face off with Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) in November. (Source: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Thursday, June 11, 2026

Los Angeles Times – Democrats keep Prop. 50 promise alive through primary with momentum heading toward November

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Tom Steyer speaks during day two of the 2012 Democratic National Convention on September 5, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Source: Alex Wong, Getty Images)
Wednesday, June 10, 2026

The Sacramento Bee – Why Tom Steyer’s $215 million campaign fell short in California governor race

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Monday, June 8, 2026

The Hill – The Memo: Spencer Pratt comes up short in Los Angeles, drawing hollow claims of fraud

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People follow voting results at Mayor Karen Bass’ watch party in Los Angeles on election night. (Source: Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Friday, June 5, 2026

Los Angeles Times – California voters want to know who won elections. The wait can be ‘frustrating, even annoying’

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Martha, Natalia, and Jose voted for the first time in the 2026 primary Tuesday. (Source: Mariana Dale/LAist)
Friday, June 5, 2026

LAist – Youth voter turnout: More Californians 18-34 registered this primary

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Eunisses Hernandez, center, introduces her Dungeons & Dragons character at a Democratic Socialists of America fundraiser next to Hugo Soto-Martinez, left, and Marissa Roy on May 17. (Source: Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Sunday, May 24, 2026

Los Angeles Times – Dungeons, dragons and democratic socialists: a leftist fundraiser in Hollywood

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Spencer Pratt’s campaign has received a boost from A.I. videos that depict him as a superhero fighting Democratic leaders. (Source: Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times)
Thursday, May 21, 2026

The New York Times – A.I. Videos Help Reality TV Antagonist Break Through in L.A. Mayor’s Race

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Andre Arguelles of Los Angeles marches with the Democratic Socialists of America during a May Day demonstration in downtown Los Angeles. (Source: Gary Coronado / For The Times)
Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Los Angeles Times – L.A.’s democratic socialists look to boost their clout in City Hall

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Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is interviewed after the California gubernatorial debate at the Skirball Cultural Center on Wednesday. (Source: Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Saturday, May 9, 2026

Los Angeles Times – How MAGA Sheriff Chad Bianco is shaking up the 2026 California gubernatorial primary

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TheWrap
Friday, May 8, 2026

TheWrap – Spencer Pratt Won the LA Mayoral Debate. Could He Actually Win the Race? | Analysis

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Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said that the decline in trust across governments in the world has resulted in a rise of populist, nationalist politicians. (Source: Remy Steinegger / Wikimedia Commons)
Friday, April 24, 2026

Daily Trojan – Former UK Prime Minister says civic life is in decline

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Bob Shrum is the Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics as well as the director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. (Photos: Iliana Garcia.)
Friday, April 10, 2026

USC Dornsife News – Galas honoring political strategist and scholar Bob Shrum raise nearly $1M in support of civil discourse

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Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visits USC for conversation on political polarization (Source: Gage Skidmore/Wiki Media Commons)
Tuesday, March 31, 2026

USC Annenberg Media – Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy visits USC for conversation on political polarization

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Matt Britton and Yemisi Egbewole discuss ways that present and future workers may be able to navigate the AI paradigm shift. (Source: NewsNation)
Friday, March 27, 2026

NewsNation – Job strategies emerging to offset the impact of AI

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CPF Logo
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Statement from Scholars on the Independence and Methodological Integrity of Christian Grose

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ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles and USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future will host the 2026 California gubernatorial debate,
Friday, March 20, 2026

Joint Statement from the USC Center for the Political Future, ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles and Univision about the California Governor Debate

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ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles and USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future will host the 2026 California gubernatorial debate,
Saturday, March 14, 2026

Debate for California Governor Includes CPF and ABC7

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Jonathan Turley speaks to the audience as Morris Levy listens. (Source: USC Photo / Kristopher Head)
Friday, February 27, 2026

USC Today – ‘I wanted to listen and learn’: USC hosts author Jonathan Turley at Open Dialogue event

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President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address on record to a divided and frustrated nation. (Photo courtesy of CNN Newsource)
Wednesday, February 25, 2026

USC Annenberg Media – Students ‘tired’ after Trump delivered longest State of the Union address

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President Trump, shown Feb. 24 at the White House, faces vulnerabilities heading into the 2026 midterm elections. (Source: Win McNamee / Getty Images)
Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Los Angeles Times – Trump projects power but heads weakened into a season of tough political challenges

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CPF Director Bob Shrum joins USC Annenberg Media
Tuesday, February 3, 2026

USC Annenberg Media “From Where We Are” – From Bad Bunny to Immigration Reporting

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Monday, January 19, 2026

“The Story Is With Elex Michaelson” featuring CPF Director Bob Shrum

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Archived CPF News

Archived CPF News

Check out the archived news stories that highlighted CPF.