Professor of Political Science · Colorado State University
American Politics & Political Behavior
My research spans political behavior, public opinion, and American electoral politics. I examine partisan polarization, political participation, and the psychological foundations of citizen engagement with democratic institutions.
Areas of Study
Party identification, partisan sorting, and electoral behavior in the American mass public.
How psychological predispositions, ideology, and cognition shape political attitudes and participation.
Measurement of political attitudes, opinion formation, and quantitative research methodology.
Citizen policy preferences, policy responsiveness, and the link between opinion and governance.
Political misinformation, conspiracy belief, and the role of persuasion in democratic discourse.
Quantitative methods, statistical inference, and program evaluation in social science research.
In the Classroom
I teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, with courses spanning American politics, research methods, and political behavior.
Current
POLS 302Parties and Elections in the USFall 2025Past Courses
POLS 501Citizen Politics in the US (Graduate)Spring 2024 POLS 624Scope and Methods of Political Science (Grad)Fall 2021 POLS 625Quantitative Methods I (Graduate)Fall 2020 POLS 492Persuasion, Misinformation, and Conspiracy BeliefFall 2017 POLS 459Program Evaluation & Research MethodsSpring 2017Scholarship
Fitz & Saunders · Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Sharing Link (free access, expires soon) · DOI
Fitz & Saunders · Party Politics
Journal ArticleMiller, Farhart & Saunders · Political Behavior
Journal ArticleFitz, Stecuła, Hitt & Saunders · Behavioural Public Policy
Journal ArticleFitz, Stecuła, Hitt & Saunders · Scientific Reports, 14(10473):1–10
Journal ArticleFitz & Saunders · Public Opinion Quarterly, 88(S1):843–857
Journal ArticleAtkeson, McKown-Dawson, Santucci & Saunders · Social Science Quarterly, 105(4):1029–1041
Journal ArticleMiller, Peterson, Saunders & McClurg · American Politics Research, 51(4):510–524
Journal ArticleFarhart, Fitz, Miller & Saunders · Research and Politics, 10(3):1–9
Journal ArticleEnders, Farhart, Miller, Uscinski, Saunders & Drochon · Political Behavior, 45:2001–2024
Journal ArticleLyons, Farhart, Hall et al. · Journal of Experimental Political Science, 9(2):225–240
Journal Article · 🏆 Rebecca Morton Award 2022Peterson, Miller, Saunders & McClurg · British Journal of Political Science, 51(4):200–220
Journal ArticleFarhart, Miller & Saunders · The Politics of Truth in Polarized America (Oxford University Press), 200–222
Book ChapterMiller, Saunders & Farhart · American Journal of Political Science, 60(4):824–844 · 833 citations
Journal Article · 🏆 Paul Lazarsfeld Award, APSA 2014Abramowitz & Saunders · Journal of Politics, 70(2):542–555 · 2,418 citations
Journal ArticleAbramowitz & Saunders · Journal of Politics, 60(3):634–652 · 1,100 citations
Journal ArticleAbramowitz & Saunders · Political Research Quarterly, 59(2):175–187 · 444 citations
Journal ArticleAbramowitz & Saunders · The Forum, 3(2):1–24 · 385 citations
Journal ArticleAtkeson & Saunders · PS: Political Science and Politics, 40(4):655–662 · 282 citations
Journal ArticleOpp & Saunders · Urban Affairs Review, 49(5):678–717 · 227 citations
Journal ArticleSchmidt & Saunders · Comparative Political Studies, 37(6):704–734 · 194 citations
Journal ArticleAtkeson, Bryant, Hall, Saunders & Alvarez · Electoral Studies, 29(1):66–73 · 181 citations
Journal ArticleSaunders & Abramowitz · American Politics Research, 32(3):285–309 · 167 citations
Journal ArticleResources
Get in Touch
I welcome inquiries from students, collaborators, journalists, and others interested in American politics and political science research.
The Department of Political Science at CSU is home to faculty with expertise spanning American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and public administration.