In 2022, I had the honour of being awarded the Rosamund Davies Travel Award, a recognition that has had a profound impact on my academic journey. I am a part-time self-funded PhD student, balancing my research with the demands of raising two young children and a full-time job in knowledge exchange. It is fair to say that without the generous funding from the award, I would not have been able to carry out what has become the most exciting and pivotal aspect of my fieldwork.
In the summer of 2023, I travelled to Atlanta to conduct in-person interviews with State Senators and Representatives. My research focused on understanding the impact of the “Big Lie” narrative surrounding the 2020 election and its implications for democratic health. Specifically, I sought to explore how the allegations of election fraud, claims of illegitimate results, and the January 6th insurrection have influenced the day-to-day business of governing for these elected officials as they serve their constituents.
Atlanta is a vibrant city teeming with life, and while my primary purpose was academic, I found moments to fall for its charm. All the tropes you hear about Southern hospitality are true. The blend of culture, history, and community provided a heady backdrop to my fieldwork.
During my time there, I had the privilege of interviewing 16 State Representatives and Senators, each of whom offered their time and insights with disarming generosity. Both Republican and Democrat participants acknowledged the narrative as a significant turning point for U.S. democracy, albeit for starkly different reasons.
Democratic interviewees drew a direct line from the “Big Lie” to tangible consequences for voter participation, particularly for their African-American constituents. They expressed deep concerns about the implications of laws like Georgia’s SB202, which President Joe Biden has referred to as modern-day Jim Crow legislation. This group articulated very real fears about the future of democracy in the US, particularly if Trump were to win the 2024 election. Of course, Republican participants expressed precisely the reverse; that America was headed for ruin if Biden (then the presumed candidate) were to win.
My Republican interviewees were particularly revealing. They generally fell into two categories. The first group offered unwavering support for Trump, including endorsing his claims of widespread voter fraud. In contrast, the second, more introspective group saw real danger in Trump’s continuing efforts to undermine trust in the voting system. In particular, each of that group voices concerns that Republican voters would be so distrustful of the mechanics of voting that they would simply drop out of the process rather than participate in a corrupted process.
Interestingly, even among the more cautious Republicans, there was strong support for measures like SB202, reflecting the tensions between party loyalty, individual belief, and an ever-present threat of a primary challenge from a more extreme candidate. The ongoing consequences of the “Big Lie” narrative are evident in developments such as the Georgia election board’s recent decision to mandate hand-counted ballots, which carries the potential for confusion and delays on election night.
Atlanta remains in the eye of the political storm as we enter the final weeks of campaigning. As a result of the work I was able to do there last year, I am preparing to return this year for follow up interviews over the election week itself. None of that would have been possible without the award I received- and I’m so grateful to have been given such a valuable opportunity.