More Than Blue, More Than Yankee: Complexity and Change in New England Politics

＂New England politics can, at first blush, appear monochromatic. After all, only one member of the entire region’s current delegation to the US Congress is a Republican; in contrast, only two states in the region-Rhode Island and Connecticut-had Democratic senators in 1948. Yet a closer examination of the region today reveals fascinating variation. Liberal policies, greater diversity, and engaged social movements are reshaping stereotypical Yankee tendencies. This compelling volume captures both the political history and contemporary moment and exposes the surprisingly varied civic landscape. This book argues that New England is and always has been an important part of the national puzzle, from demonstrating democratic principles in early America to producing major present-day figures such as Elizabeth Warren, Ayanna Pressley, and Susan Collins. The shifts at work mirror similar transformations in the South but have received much less attention. This important collection corrects that omission by profiling movements and candidates, revealing rhetoric (from activists to pundits), and exploring demographics and voting in each state as well as the region as a whole＂--

Amy Fried is professor emerita of political science at the University of Maine. Her most recent book is At War with Government: How Conservatives Weaponized Distrust from Goldwater to Trump, co-authored by Douglas B. Harris. Fried is also the author of Pathways to Polling: Crisis, Cooperation, and the Making of Public Opinion Professions; Muffled Echoes: Oliver North and the Politics of Public Opinion; and many shorter works in scholarly edited volumes and journals. She will be president of the New England Political Science Association from 2024-2025.

Erin O’Brien is associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her research has appeared in American Journal of Political Science, Perspectives on Politics, Political Research Quarterly, and Women & Politics. She is also author of three books: The Politics of Massachusetts Exceptionalism: Reputation Meets Reality, co-edited with Jerold Duquette; The Politics of Identity: Solidarity Building among America’s Working Poor; and Diversity in Contemporary American Politics and Government, co-edited with David A. Dulio. O’Brien’s commentary appears in outlets including All Thing Considered (NPR), The Atlantic, The Associated Press (AP), Christian Science Monitor, The Economist, Marketplace (NPR), Newsweek, The New York Times, PBS Newshour, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post. Locally, she is a regular commentator for Boston25, GBH, and NBC10 Boston.