2022 FALL | Big Stakes, Big Consequences
2022-09-14 - 2022-11-16
Gerald F. Seib will lead this semester’s eight-part Discussion Group Series. Seib is a graduate of the University of Kansas and was a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He has also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.
Seib’s series on the 2022 midterm election will feature national pollsters as well as prominent politicos and journalists. Each session takes place at 4 p.m. on the following Wednesdays: September 14, 21, 28; October 19 and 26; and November 2, 9, and 16.
Dole Fellow Gerald F. Seib
Read more about Dole Fellows
The Dole Fellows Program is made possible by Newman’s Own Foundation. Seib will be in residence this fall, and his residency is sponsored by the Dolph Simons Family Fund.

An Overview of the 2022 Midterm Landscape
September 14, 2022

A look deep inside the forces shaping this year’s highly consequential midterm election, in which control of both the House and the Senate and the shape of the rest of the Biden presidential term will be decided.
With Democratic pollster John Anzalone and Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio
John Anzalone is one of the nation’s leading pollsters and the founder of Impact Research. Anzalone has worked in Democratic politics for thirty years and is currently the chief pollster for President Biden in addition to polling for the 2022 re-election campaigns for MI Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and NV Gov. Steve Sisolak. He also conducts public-opinion research for many Fortune 500 corporations as well as national associations and advocacy groups like AARP.
Tony Fabrizio is widely recognized as an expert in public opinion and politics, and one of the nation’s leading Republican pollsters. He has helped elect Presidents and Prime Ministers on four continents. In the U.S., Fabrizio served as the Chief Pollster on five Presidential campaigns, from Sen. Bob Dole’s 1996 Presidential campaign through most recently, President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory and his 2020 re-election campaign. Recently, Fabrizio was chosen to co-lead the Wall Street Journal’s election-focused public polling in partnership with Biden pollster John Anzalone.

Political Polarization and How It Affects This Year’s Races
September 21, 2022

The most powerful force in politics today is deep, partisan polarization. A look at how that will affect this year’s races and outcomes.
With the Honorable Katheleen Sebelius, Former Secretary of Health and Human Services and Governor of Kansas and Neil Newhouse, pollster for four Republican presidential campaigns and a range of congressional contests.
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius was named one of the Forbes “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” in 2013. Secretary Sebelius is one of America’s foremost experts on health policy, health care reform, and executive leadership. She served as U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services from 2009 to 2014, Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009 and Kansas Insurance Commissioner from 1995 to 2003. She also chaired the Democratic Governors Association in 2007. She is a member of the Dole Institute of Politics Board of Advisors.
Neil Newhouse is a partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies, a national political and public affairs research firm which has been described by the New York Times as “the leading Republican polling company” in the country. Neil has been named “Pollster of the Year” by the American Association of Political Consultants a record-tying three times for his work on political and public affairs campaigns. Neil has worked in public opinion research for more than 35 years and has helped elect dozens of Members of Congress, U.S. Senators, and Governors. Neil has polled for four Presidential campaigns – Senator Robert Dole, President George W. Bush, Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and he was the lead pollster for Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign.

The Kansas Picture
September 28, 2022

Kansas shook the nation’s political landscape once already this year with an abortion referendum, which only set the stage for a big midterm in which both parties have much at state in the state.
With former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer and former Rep. Jim Slattery.
Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. is the longest serving Lt. Governor in Kansas history and the 47th Governor. He made Kansas the first state to privatize its entire Medicaid Program into Kancare saving $2.5billion, expanded services and is the basis of many other states programs. A surgeon known for volunteering in 25 war zones from Rwanda to Syria, he provides trauma reconstruction in Kansas City. He advises companies and investment firms in the US and abroad. Originally from Hays, Governor Colyer has degrees from Georgetown, Cambridge University and KU Med.
Jim Slattery served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the second district of Kansas. He was a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee during his entire 12-year tenure in Congress. Slattery is currently President of Slattery Strategy LLC, a consulting firm located in McLean, Virginia. He started this firm in October 2019 after completing a 24-year career with Wiley Rein, LLP a prominent Washington D.C. law firm. Slattery was also the 1994 Democrat nominee for Governor in Kansas and the 2008 Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate.

Election Integrity
October 19, 2022

With debates raging over voting rules and restrictions, as well as over the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, will Americans see this year’s results as fair? Will they feel they had full voting rights? And what does that portend for the 2024 presidential election? Democracy itself is on the ballot this year.
With Sean Morales-Doyle, director, voting rights and democracy at the Brennan Center for Justice.
Sean Morales-Doyle serves as the director in the Voting Rights Program, where he focuses on voting rights and elections. He advocates for pro-voter reforms like automatic voter registration and voting rights restoration while fighting back against voter suppression efforts in the courts. Morales-Doyle is a seasoned litigator with experience in civil rights and constitutional matters, as well as a background in labor and employment law.

Key Senate Races
October 26, 2022

The biggest question of the year may well be whether Republicans seize back control of the Senate. Both parties see a very tight contest, with the outcome up in the air.
With Scott Reed, Republican analyst, former presidential campaign manager and longtime director of political activity for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Scott Reed is the Chairman of Chesapeake Enterprises. Reed advises various GOP Members of Congress and Governors on political and policy issues. He also served as the Senior Political Strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 1996, Reed was the campaign manager for Senator Bob Dole’s Presidential campaign. In 1993, Reed was appointed Executive Director of the Republican National Committee when the Republicans gained control of both the House and the Senate for the first time in 40 years. During the Bush (41) Administration, Reed served as Chief of Staff to Secretary Jack Kemp at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Can Democrats Prevent a Tidal Wave?
November 2, 2022

History and public polling suggest Republicans are likely to take back control of the House, but Democrats see their prospects improving as voting draws near. Can they defy expectations?
With Maya Rupert, campaign manager for Julian Castro’s presidential campaign and later top consultant to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 campaign.
Maya Rupert is a political strategist, writer, and Distinguished Fellow with Community Change. In 2020, she served as campaign manager for Julián Castro’s presidential campaign and is only the third Black woman to have managed a major presidential campaign. When Secretary Castro exited the race, she joined Elizabeth Warren’s campaign as a Senior Advisor, and she managed Maya Wiley’s mayoral campaign in 2021. Maya is a nationally respected voice on progressive politics and the future of the Democratic party.

An Instant Look at the Results
November 9, 2022

On the day after the election, we take an immediate and in-depth look at the outcome.
With Jackie Calmes, political columnist for the Los Angeles Times, former White House and congressional reporter for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Jackie Calmes has been a columnist for the Los Angeles Times in Washington since August 2021, after four years as an editor of White House and political coverage. For nearly 30 years prior, she was a correspondent in the Washington bureaus of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, covering the White House, Congress, presidential elections and national politics; she became the chief political correspondent and chief economic correspondent for each paper and in 2004 received the Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize for Reporting on the Presidency. She has been a fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy and is the author of “Dissent: The Radicalization of the Republican Party and Its Capture of the Court” (2021).

How the Outcome Will Change Washington
November 16, 2022

How will the midterms affect how Washington works, now and through the 2024 presidential election? We explore those questions as the dust settles.
With John Harwood, veteran political journalist, and Lindsay Wise, reporter for the Wall Street Journal.
John Harwood has covered Washington and national politics for four decades, most recently as White House correspondent for CNN. Prior to joining CNN in January 2020, he served as CNBC’s Chief Washington Correspondent from 2006 to 2019. Harwood has offered political analysis for The New York Times, NBC, MSNBC, NPR and PBS. He has covered each of the last nine presidential elections. During the 2008 campaign, Harwood broke the news that Republican nominee John McCain had selected Sarah Palin as his running mate. He received an Emmy nomination for his live CNBC town hall with President Barack Obama in 2010. He also moderated Republican presidential debates on CNBC in 2011 and 2015. He is the co-author, with Gerald F. Seib, of Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power.
Lindsay Wise is on The Wall Street Journal’s Congress reporting team. She came from the Kansas City Star and McClatchy’s Midwest I-Team, where she was first a Washington correspondent and then an investigative reporter. Before McClatchy, she reported for the Houston Chronicle on the military, veterans as well as the city’s Arab and Muslim communities. She has a B.A. in English and Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from St. Antony’s College, Oxford. Between 2003 and 2006, Ms. Wise worked as a freelance journalist based in Egypt.

Dole Fellow Gerald F. Seib in the Media
Kansas Finds a Path Beyond Partisanship
Seib, G. F. (2022, September 15). Kansas Finds a Path Beyond Partisanship; In a tense election year, voters in a conservative state are showing their independence and avoiding the extremes. The Wall Street Journal. Eastern Edition. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kansas-finds-a-path-beyond-partisanship-11663253693
Will Trump run again? Is Biden finished? The midterm election will answer America’s big questions
Seib, G. F. (2022, November 5). Will Trump run again? Is Biden finished? The midterm election will answer America’s big questions. The Times (London). https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/will-trump-run-again-is-biden-finished-the-midterm-election-will-answer-americas-big-questions-2sr03j2pj
A Midterm ‘Red Wave’ Didn’t Happen; What That Says About 2024
Fertoli, A. (Host). (2022, November 9). A Midterm ‘Red Wave’ Didn’t Happen; What That Says About 2024 [Audio podcast episode]. In WSJ What’s News. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/podcasts/whats-news/a-midterm-red-wave-didnt-happen-what-that-says-about-2024/45c01580-879d-49da-ba91-0c8412b9cfb8
Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit
Navigating Geopolitical Risk and the Inflation Surge
Schake, K., Seib, G. F. (2022, May 3-4). Navigating Geopolitical Risk and the Inflation Surge [Conference session]. Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit, London, United Kingdom. https://ceocouncil.wsj.com/event/ceo-council-summit-4/
American Politics and Roe v. Wade
Murray, M., Seib, G. F. (2022, May 3-4). American Politics and Roe v. Wade [Conference session]. Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit, London, United Kingdom. https://ceocouncil.wsj.com/event/ceo-council-summit-4/
The Midterm Elections: Back From the Political Abyss
Seib, G. F. (2022, December 14). The Midterm Elections: Back From the Political Abyss; The real winner this year was America’s democracy, as many of the worst fears failed to materialize. The Wall Street Journal. Eastern Edition. https://www.wsj.com/articles/midterm-elections-democracy-wins-2022-11670867485
Gerald “Jerry” F. Seib’s Appearances on C-SPAN
National Cable Satellite Corporation. (2023). Gerald “Jerry” F. Seib. C-SPAN. Gerald “Jerry” F. Seib | C-SPAN.org
Post-election pundits: Inflation befuddles Republicans, Democrats in 2022 midterm
Carpenter, T. (2022, November 10). Post-election pundits: Inflation befuddles Republicans, Democrats in 2022 midterm; Trump brand suffers as GOP fails to meet high expectations. Kansas Reflector. https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/10/post-election-pundits-inflation-befuddles-republicans-democrats-in-2022-midterm/

The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

2023 SPRING | Building Democracy in the 21st Century
2023-02-15 - 2023-04-19
“Building Democracy in the 21st Century” is led by Qëndrim Gashi, Ambassador of Kosovo to France (2016 – 2021).
Qëndrim Gashi is an associate professor at the University of Prishtina and was Kosovo’s Ambassador to France from 2016 until 2021. He has served in supervisory boards of various private and state institutions and think tanks and has won a number of scholarships, awards and honors, including receiving the insignia of Commander of the French Legion of Honor in 2022.Educated at the University of Chicago (PhD 2008), the University of Cambridge (MA St 2003), and the University of Prishtina (Diploma 2002), he has given talks at many universities, was the founder and first President (2008-2012) of the Kosovar Mathematical Society, and since April 2022 also serves as the Kosovo American Education Fund Development Manager.
Dole Fellow Qëndrim Gashi
Read more about Dole Fellows
Discussion Group programs are made possible by Newman’s Own Foundation.
This spring’s series is presented in partnership with the Kosovo American Education Fund.
Gashi’s residency is made possible with support by the Xhema Opportunity Fund.

Kosovo’s Path to Independence and Democracy
February 15, 2023

As democracy undergoes significant challenges around the globe, we examine democracy building in the youngest country in Europe, Kosovo, together with its facets of peace-building, reconciliation and state-building.
With Dr. Pëllumb Kelmendi, political scientist and board member for the Society for Albanian Studies.
Pëllumb Kelmendi is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Auburn University. Previously he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan’s Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies and a Predoctoral Fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. Dr. Kelmendi’s research focuses on international security, conflict resolution, and democratization. He has published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, Security Studies and Nationalities Papers, among others. He has received research awards from the United States Institute of Peace, the Smith Richardson Foundation, the Open Society Foundations, and Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Dr. Kelmendi serves as a board member for the Society for Albanian Studies and the Prishtina Institute for Political Studies. He received his PhD in Political Science from Brown University, an MPhil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge, and a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago.

Inclusiveness in Forming a Democracy
February 22, 2023

Democracy beyond elections and plurality or majority rules. We discuss how to include minority and marginalized groups in decision making democratic processes, by looking at the example of Kosovo.
With Atifete Jahjaga, former President of the Republic of Kosovo (2011-2016).
Atifete Jahjaga was the first woman President of the Republic of Kosovo, the first female head of state in modern Balkans, and the youngest female world leader to be elected to the highest office. President Jahjaga is active in initiatives aimed at empowering women and supporting the survivors of sexual violence during the war, and in particular through the Jahjaga Foundation she focuses on youth and women to achieve social change in Kosovo. She continues to be resolute in her fight against violent extremism and radicalization and a staunch promoter of peace and prosperity for the Balkans and beyond, which have garnered her numerous honors and awards.

The Road Ahead to Maintaining a Democracy
March 1, 2023

What are the main obstacles to maintaining a democracy? Is a sound legal system sufficient? We examine Kosovo and the Balkan region one year after the start of the aggression against Ukraine.
With Dr. Enver Hasani, former President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo (2011-2016).
Dr. Enver Hasani was the first President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kosovo (2009-2015). He was a member of the Venice Commission representing Kosovo. He is a Professor of International Law and International Relations at the University of Prishtina, where he previously served as its rector. From 1992 to 1997 Dr. Hasani was a Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania. He participated in the Rambouillet Conference on Kosovo (1999) as part of the Kosovo delegation. He has published four books and numerous academic articles regarding different aspects of civil law, constitutional law, public international law and international relations and has given talks at many universities. He was a Fulbright Scholar at Northwestern University. He has studied at the University of Prishtina (Civil and Economic Law) and at Bilkent University in Ankara (MA and PhD in International Law and Relations). Dr. Hasani also holds the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University Kocaeli in Turkey.

Bipartisanship in Action
April 12, 2023

The Kansas Future Caucus convenes young and innovative legislators in the Kansas state legislature to work on the issues facing Gen Z, Millennials, and future generations. Future Caucus members are committed to pragmatically working towards a culture of political cooperation.
Moderated by Katie Bernard, reporter for the Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle and former Student Advisory Board member.
Representative Tory Marie Blew (Arnberger) represents House District 112 in Barton County. She is in her fourth term and is the Vice-Chair of Higher Education Budget Committee. She also serves on Financial Institutions and Pensions and Insurance committees.
Representative Rui Xu represents House District 25 in Northeast Johnson County. He’s in his 3rd term and serves as the Ranking Democrat on Financial Institutions and Pensions, as well as on the Commerce and Agriculture Committees. He also serves as the co-chair of the Kansas Future Caucus, along with Rep. Blew, which is comprised of all the legislators under 45 years old and seeks to solve problems along generational lines rather than fighting across party ones.
Katie Bernard covers politics and government in Kansas for the Kansas City Star. She led the Star’s
coverage of Kansas’ historic August 2nd vote on abortion rights and was part of the team covering the 2022 governor’s race, attorney general’s race, and 3rd District congressional contest. Katie joined The Star as a breaking news and crime reporter in 2019. She studied journalism and political science at the University of Kansas where she spent four years on the Dole Institute’s Student Advisory Board.
The Millennial Action Project works directly with our nation’s leading young policymakers on both a national and state level to bridge the partisan divide and lead a new era of collaborative governance. As a national, nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to activating millennial and Gen Z policymakers, MAP gives our nation’s young leaders the resources and support to develop and pass innovative policy solutions — and forge productive partnerships on the issues affecting the youngest generations of Americans.
This program is presented in partnership with the Millennial Action Project.

Common Ground for Trusted Elections
April 19, 2023

Join us for the 5th and final program in our Discussion Group series “Building Democracy in the 21st Century” for a conversation with Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and New Mexico’s Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, who have both signed The Carter Center’s Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections. Veteran journalist and Fall 2022 Dole Fellow Jerry Seib will return to the Institute to moderate. Seib will focus the discussion on The Carter Center’s Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections, and how they can help candidates, parties, and citizens promote election integrity and confidence in the voting process more broadly.
The Carter Center launched the Candidate Principles for Trusted Elections initiative in 2022. The bipartisan effort encourages candidates, political parties, and voters to uphold five core doctrines of democratic elections: integrity, nonviolence, security, oversight, and the peaceful transfer of power. Anyone — candidates, organizations, community leaders, and voters — can pledge their support for the Candidate Principles at principledcandidates.org.
Sec. Brad Raffensperger has served as Georgia’s Secretary of State since 2019. In that time, he has overseen Georgia public records and Georgia elections, including the highly publicized U.S. Senate runoff elections in 2020 and 2021. Raffensperger won reelection in 2022 following a contentious Republican primary. Raffensperger is also the owner of Tendon Systems, LLC, a specialty contracting and engineering design firm with nearly 150 employees.
Sec. Maggie Toulouse Oliver has served as New Mexico’s Secretary of State since 2016. As Secretary of State, Oliver has modernized New Mexico elections and advocated for reforms to increase transparency. Oliver is the former President of the National Association of Secretaries of State and serves on a number of government commissions & civic boards.
Gerald F. Seib is a graduate of the University of Kansas and was a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He has also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.
This program is presented in partnership with The Carter Center.

The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

2024 SPRING | Obstacles and Opportunities: Tackling Sustainability in Kansas
2024-02-20 - 2024-03-26
Our Spring 2024 Discussion Group series, “Obstacles and Opportunities: Tackling Sustainability in Kansas,” will be a four-part series moderated by Kansas Rural Center Board Member Karen Willey. The series was created alongside Discussion Group Coordinators Braiden Bangalan and Rachel Creighton by engaging with members of the Dole Institute’s Student Advisory Board to determine which topics related to sustainability in Kansas that students wanted to address.

This series is presented in partnership with the Kansas Rural Center.

The Farm Bill: Food and Hunger in the Heartland
February 20, 2024

The Farm Bill, a massive omnibus legislation covering a wide range of issues from agricultural practices to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), is on the docket for this coming year’s Congress. The Farm Bill dictates the most profitable and economical practices for Kansas’s largest industry, agriculture, and will shape farming and food stamp policies for the next 5 years. Join us with Senior Agriculture Advisor to Representative Sharice Davids, Zach Helder, and Executive Director of Kansas Farmers Union, Nick Levendofsky, to discuss the prevailing issues, debates, and environmental impact of this highly influential legislation. Karen Willey will lead this semester’s four-part Discussion Group Series.
This program is presented in partnership with the Kansas Farmers Union and the KU Department of Political Science.

Sink or Swim: The Future of Water in Kansas
February 27, 2024

Working lands, ecosystems, towns, and cities all need scarce water resources to survive in an uncertain future. With a plethora of legal battles and competing interests between powerful players, water access, quantity, and quality is a hot topic in Kansas. In discussion with Representatives Lindsay Vaughn and Kenny Titus, we explore the state of water quantity and quality and the conversations happening within the state. Karen Willey will lead this semester’s four-part Discussion Group Series.
This program is presented in partnership with the KU Honors Program.

Powering the Next Generation: Renewable Energy Options and Hurdles in Kansas
March 19, 2024

As one of the most widely discussed topics with a vast array of stakeholders, the future of renewable energy in Kansas is unclear. Taking into consideration the environmental and economic impacts of various forms of energy, we look at what direction Kansas is headed and where it could go. Join us with Climate + Energy Project Program Director Allison Thomas, Douglas County Planning Commission Chair Gary Rexroad, Evergy Clean Energy Development Manager Brandon Sack, and State Geologist of Kansas Jay Kalbas to discuss the future of renewable energy development in Kansas by means of public policy, community action, and environmental necessity. Karen Willey will lead this semester’s four-part Discussion Group Series.

Where Do We Go Now?: The Politics and Policies of Climate Adaptation in Kansas
March 26, 2024

Kansas is facing the question of how to create a livable state in the face of climate change. How can rural and urban areas adapt to become more resilient? As the environmental and ecological effects of a changing climate rapidly progress, local communities and nations alike are finding new solutions to this crisis. Join Douglas County, Kansas Food Waste Reduction Specialist Jamie Hofling, Kansas Rural Center Executive Director Tom Buller, KU Associate Professor Ward Lyles, and Earthjustice Senior Director Jasmin Moore for this conversation with Dole Fellow Karen Willey.
This program is presented in partnership with the KU School of Public Affairs Administration, and the Department of Environmental Studies.

FALL 2024 | Congress in the 21st Century
2024-09-18 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In partnership with the Association of the Former Members of Congress, the Dole Institute welcomed former members of Congress Luke Messer (R-IN) and Cheri Bustos (D-IL) for “Congress in the 21st Century,” a three-part Discussion Groups series highlighting their careers in public service and bipartisanship, and work with members of the Student Advisory Board to develop programming on topics at the top of students’ minds.
This series is supported by the Edward F. Reilly Endowed Fund, which supports public programming at the Dole Institute that explores the role of civil discourse and bipartisanship in contemporary politics. This fund has been made possible by a generous gift from Edward F. Reilly, Jr.
Learn more about Congressman Luke Messer (R-IN) and Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-IL) by visiting our website. You can stream their programs on each of their Dole Fellow profiles.

The Association of the Former Members of Congress (FMC) is a non-advocacy, nonpartisan group founded in 1970 and chartered by Congress in 1983. It is a voluntary alliance of more than 800 Former U.S. Senators and Representatives working to strengthen Congress in the conduct of its Constitutional responsibility through promoting a collaborative approach to policymaking and deepening the public’s understanding of our democratic system.

FALL 2024 | Beyond the Ballot: Understanding the 2024 Elections
2024-09-25 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join Dole Fellow Jonathan Shorman Wednesdays this fall as he highlights elections, campaigns, and more here in Kansas and throughout the nation. His series will culminate this November with the Kansas Panel of the 2024 Post Election Conference.
Learn more about Jonathan Shorman’s Discussion Groups series by visiting our website.

SPRING 2025 | Exactly How Much Power Does an American President Have?
2025-02-19 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Dole Fellow Matt Beat examines how the exercise of presidential power has evolved since the ratification of the Constitution and how it is shared with each branch of government, the states, and citizens themselves.
Learn more about his Discussion Groups series by visiting his Fellow profile.

FALL 2025 | Leadership Lessons from the Front Lines of Public Service
2025-09-10 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Dole Fellow, bestselling author, and political consultant Joni Wickham examines topics in local governance, including mayoral and representative leadership, public advocacy, and local policymaking in her Fall 2025 Discussion Groups series, Leadership Lessons from the Front Lines of Public Service.”
Learn more about her Discussion Groups series by visiting her Fellow profile.

SPRING 2026 | Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Principles That Built a Nation
2026-02-11 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Former Kansas State Senator Jeff King and journalist Mark McCormick served together as Spring 2026 Dole Fellows. Their series, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness: Principles That Built a Nation,” examined principles undergirding America’s founding, and evaluated how they shape our world today.
Learn more about Jeff King and Mark McCormick, and their Discussion Groups series, by visiting their Fellow profile.
