CEL affiliates during a dinner at the end of APSA
CEL at APSA 2026
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Between September 2-5, the Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL) attended the annual American Political Science Association (APSA) conference in Boston, Massachusetts. The event brought together political scientists, scholars, and experts from across the discipline to participate and showcase their works to a broad audience, with panels and presentations that included the following from CEL affiliates (and others):
- The Impact of Public-Facing Personas on Legislative Activity in Congress – SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor (University of Virginia)
- Predicting Partnerships: Campaign Promises and Legislative Collaboration – Colin Rafferty Case (University of Iowa) and Emily Cottle Ommundsen (University of Mississippi)
- Credit Claiming and Accountability for Legislative Effectiveness – Elizabeth N. Simas (Texas A&M University), Michael Kistner (Texas A&M University), David Hilden (University of Houston), and Jamie Wright (Morning Consult)
- Media Coverage, Gender, and Legislative Accountability – Jaclyn Kaslovsky (Washington University in St. Louis), David Nguyen (Washington University in St. Louis), and Michael P. Olson (Washington University in St. Louis)
In addition, CEL Co-Directors Craig Volden (University of Virginia) and Alan Wiseman (Vanderbilt University) served as discussants for the panel, “Effective Lawmaking and Accountability in Congress and the States.” CEL Affiliate Tessa Provins (University of Arizona) also served as a discussant, while CEL Affiliate Sean M. Theriault (University of Texas at Austin) chaired the panel and served as the fourth discussant.
CEL affiliates during a presentation
The conference gave CEL affiliates another opportunity to engage with scholars who are studying Congress, state legislatures, and legislative effectiveness, while also discussing how this new research relates to the works of the Center.
The CEL is thankful to APSA for once again providing the opportunity to gather members of the field and allowing our affiliates to engage with new research on legislative effectiveness. We look forward to attending next year!
