“All politics is local,” the phrase popularized by the late Speaker Tip O’Neill, may be a cliche, yet its meaning is so often overlooked in our nationalized politics. When considering the type of project the Harvard Political Review could undertake during this election season and how other publications were covering it, I was struck by the limited attention being paid to the local level. As our politics have become increasingly polarized and chaotic, spectators have developed a tendency to look at every issue on a national scale. But when we look only at big picture stories and trends, we ignore a fundamental factor in electoral politics: How the environments voters actually live in, day to day, affect their decisions at the ballot box.
It is my view that many voters are less concerned with the back-and-forths of D.C. political fighting, and instead are truly focused on the quality of their children’s education, the price of food at the grocery stores, and if there are potholes on their roads. For many voters, these daily, personal experiences with government will inform the decision they make on Nov. 5. By ignoring what happens at the micro-level of our country, we actually obscure a portion of the larger picture.
“Seven Stories, Seven States” focuses on which state and local trends are driving voters in the key swing states. It is my hope that the writers of the Harvard Political Review — many of whom are natives of the states on which they write — can share insights into the inner workings of these locales. With this series, I hope that we can help our readers appreciate the often-undervalued local aspect of our politics as we approach Election Day.
Senior U.S. Editor
