Corwin Smidt

Corwin Smidt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University. He joined MSU in 2008 following his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. His research focuses on American electoral politics, presidential primaries, political news media, and campaign dynamics, with methodological expertise in state space models and natural language processing.

Smidt's work examines interactions between political campaigns, media, and voters, including studies on poll worker retention, election logistics, and partisan polarization. He has published extensively on topics ranging from polling place quality to the psychological underpinnings of political trust. His methodological contributions include advanced statistical techniques for analyzing repeated events and dynamic processes in political behavior.

Smidt's research highlights include analyses of the 2016 and 2020 U.S. elections, Super PAC influence in campaign finance, and the decline of floating voters in polarized environments. His scholarship bridges empirical political science with innovative methodological approaches, emphasizing real-world electoral systems and institutional challenges.

He maintains an active research agenda through his website and Google Scholar profile, focusing on advancing understanding of electoral processes, media effects, and the evolving nature of American political behavior.