From parades to fireworks, the celebration of Independence Day is being marked throughout the country in ways our nation historically has celebrated it with more celebrations to come as the nation prepares for the 250^th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the start of the Revolutionary War. These celebrations are taking place against the backdrop of growing threats to the health and longevity of what makes America truly revolutionary – its democratic ideals and the Constitutional republic embodying them. As we head into extended celebrations of our nation’s semiquincentennial, it is worth remembering the ideals upon which our nation was built and recommitting to matching these ideals to our contemporary reality.  

This summer, the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) welcomed the Susan N. Wilson NEW Leadership^® New Jersey Class of 2025. NEW Leadership^® is dedicated to fostering and empowering the next generation of leaders and educating students about the importance of women’s public leadership. 

Twenty-seven students from two- and four-year colleges and universities across the Garden State had the opportunity to learn how to use the political process to create the change they hope to see, develop effective communication strategies, understand different leadership styles, hone their networking skills as well as explore different career paths in government and politics.

CAWP is grateful to the elected officials, political professionals, government staff, and advocates who took the time to invest in the next generation of New Jersey’s public leaders.

For those interested in applying for the NEW Leadership^® New Jersey Class of 2026, please keep an eye on the CAWP website.

Last week, Rutgers University hosted this year's Citizens & Scholars' Faculty Institute that featured a panel discussion moderated by Eagleton's Director, Dr. Elizabeth C. Matto. The panel explored how Rutgers has integrated resources gained from the Faculty Institute into its coursework and how the lessons learned have been extended to the Rutgers community. Panelists shared plans for the upcoming academic year, including opportunities at the Eagleton Institute and programs offered by the Rutgers Democracy Lab.

Panelists included Rutgers Assistant Professor, Adrienne H. Simonds, PT, PhD, and Rutgers undergraduate students Alejandra Afanador, a rising junior and Honors College mentor studying political science, and Shayan Chaudhury, a rising sophomore studying political science and history.

“Early polling on the governor’s race should serve as a baseline or a barometer of how voters are feeling in the moment – not as some crystal ball predicting the future four months from now,” said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. “A lot can happen between now and November, and we know this gap will very likely narrow in the next several months. We only need to look back to 2021 to see how much a race can change throughout a cycle. Add to this an intense national political landscape that will, once again, surely play a role in the governor’s race here at home. Come November, what will matter is who actually turns out to vote.”

Eagleton is happy to congratulate Sara Fajardo for completing her research on how governors pursuing the Oval Office can successfully utilize their gubernatorial experience on the campaign trail. Sara received the 2025 John and Ann Holt Endowed Undergraduate Applied Research Fund in American Politics to support her research. The project was supervised by Dr. Kristoffer Shields, assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center on the American Governor, and interim director of the Eagleton Science and Politics Program.

If you’re interested in receiving funding towards a political science research project, apply for the Holt award here.

Rutgers Today | Nearly Half of New Jerseyans Say State Is on Wrong Track, Citing Taxes, Affordability and Living Costs

New Jerseyans continue to give a somewhat split assessment on the direction of the Garden State, and pocketbook issues top the list of residents’ biggest concerns, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.  

Forty-eight percent of residents say New Jersey is on the wrong track, compared with 39% who say it is headed in the right direction; 14% are unsure. 

Governing | Politicians at All Levels Face ‘Consistently High’ Baseline of Threats

Officeholders and potential candidates increasingly mention political violence and threats when talking to staff at the Center for American Women and Politics, said Kelly Dittmar, the center’s director of research. While those issues are not new in the U.S., she said the internet makes divisiveness and danger more “in-your-face.”

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