Valentino serves as principal investigator of the American National Election Studies (ANES), the nation’s gold standard academic political survey. He will use data from ANES to analyze the outcome of the 2026 Midterm election. An extended discussion about the midterm election will follow. He is a leading scholar of political psychology and studies how citizens form political opinions, seek information and participate in elections. His research examines racial rhetoric, globalization, multiculturalism and the role of empathy in reducing social conflict. Valentino has held numerous leadership roles in the field and has won awards for his research and teaching.