Assistant professor of political science at Central College Stephanie Wise has published an article in “Social Science Quarterly” examining the effects of presidential legitimacy rhetoric.

Titled “The Public Consequences of Presidential Legitimacy Rhetoric,” the study tests three key theories: that such rhetoric strongly influences co-partisans, is largely ineffective, or backfires due to its radicalism. Using data from an original survey experiment, Wise extends prior research on the Supreme Court to assess public support for Congress and democratic norms.

Findings suggest presidential rhetoric on Congress is mostly ineffective but may trigger a mild backlash, particularly among independents. The study also highlights a distinction between democratic norm attitudes and views on congressional legitimacy, challenging claims about a president’s ability to reshape institutional legitimacy through rhetoric alone.