Jennifer Hughes
Undergraduate Fellow, 2023-24
Government
Jennifer Hughes is a recipient of a 2023 CAPS Undergraduate Summer Thesis Research Grant. Jennifer’s proposed thesis is entitled, “The Anatomy of a Digital Scandal: Implications for Young Congressional Candidates.”
Proposal synopsis: My thesis will investigate the growing role of digital footprints in congressional campaigns for young candidates and their opponents. The question I seek to answer is: Why are digital footprints used to generate scandals in some campaigns for federal office but not others given that all young candidates have an extensive digital footprint? I plan to conduct in-depth interviews with campaign staff, party officials, and reporters focusing on the 2022 NH-01 and NY-03 House races.