Professor Hanna Brant provided expertise in an article on political legacies featured on abcnews.com
Department of Political Science & International Relations News
News article created by the Department of Political Science & International Relations.
Dr. Hanna Brant, associate professor of political science and international relations, recently contributed her scholarly expertise on American politics for an article published by聽: 鈥淎 Bush, a Kennedy, a Pelosi and more: Members of legacy political families look to succeed in the midterms,鈥� (19 May 2026). The article highlights current candidates running for congressional and gubernatorial seats who are from 鈥減olitical dynasties,鈥� or, put another way, candidates with a legacy of family members who have previously been elected to prominent positions in the government of the United States. These legacy candidates from political dynasties are uniquely positioned to leverage the recognition of their last name to entice voters to elect them.聽
One candidate highlighted in the article, Jim Kingston, a Republican candidate for Georgia鈥檚 Congressional District 1, is running for the seat held by his father for more than 22 years, Jack Kingston. Dr. Brant is quoted regarding Jim Kingston, “He really is trying to simultaneously leverage his dad’s political history and dynasty, but then simultaneously trying to distance himself from it.鈥�
While candidates from political dynasties seek to use their last name to influence voters positively, it remains to be seen whether it will sway voters. Dr. Brant is quoted stating that, “We’re experiencing economic issues and concerns in the grocery stores, and these politicians [and] political dynasties 鈥� are coming from wealthy, very privileged backgrounds that could be a turn off to voters right now who are facing significant economic barriers and stressors.”
Dr. Hanna Brant is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science & International Relations. She joined 黑料传送门 in 2020 and teaches a range of classes related to American politics and institutions, including courses on the executive branch, Congress and the legislative process, and state and local government. Additionally, she has taught courses on identity, gender and politics, and research methods. Dr. Brant鈥檚 research examines the contours of political careers of members of Congress, state legislators, and legislative staff.聽During the 2026-27 academic year, Dr. Brant will serve as an 聽, during which she will join the staff of a member of the United States Congress.