“We should be less concerned about predictive value and who will win the election,” Rigueur said on October 31 during the Critical Conversations Speakers Series. “Instead, we should be thinking about analyzing the relationship between the current events, historical ideas and development as a way of understanding these eye-opening trend shifts in modern American politics that have led to our current moment.”

Rigueur shared her insight as a Johns Hopkins University SNF Agora Institute associate professor of history and expert on race, politics and contemporary history. In February 2024, Rigueur joined CNN as an on-air contributor after previously serving as an ABC News contributor.

“President Olian has asked for a multitude of perspectives in these campus conversations as we enter the national election,” said David Fryson, interim vice president for equity and inclusion, during his welcoming remarks. “Information is truly the currency of a well-ordered democracy, and it is an important element in establishing an atmosphere of respectful and positive dialogue for our nation.”

Moderated by Charles Collier, Jr., assistant dean for equity, inclusion and diversity, the discussion examined "The Past and Present of the 2024 Presidential Election,” with Rigueur encouraging those in attendance to approach current events through the perspectives of historical context and active dialogue with each other.

“The best way we can actually learn about what is going on right now, in addition to all of the research and papers…is to actually ask questions,” said Rigueur. “And ask questions of those people who are embedded in these worlds and these projects.”

Rigueur is also the author of the award-winning book, The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics & the Pursuit of Power, examining more than four decades of American political and social history of Black officials and politicians, from the era of the New Deal to Ronald Reagan’s presidential ascent in 1980.

Before answering questions from the audience, Rigueur spoke about a new cycle of American politics – one that is dramatically different from the past yet grounded in historical foundations.

“We actually got lucky for a very long time that the electorate behaved in really traditional and straightforward ways. And what 2016, 2020 and 2024 will do is actually challenge everything that we know about polling, about predictions, and about how we do elections in this country,” said Rigueur. “Because we're entering into a new cycle of American politics that is radically different from anything that we've seen before. And it's setting a new kind of precedent for what will happen as we go forward."

Rigueur reminded the audience that democracy is something that is constantly changing and being redesigned. She believes we are now in an era where democracy will take on a different meaning for Americans.

“We're beginning to see a portion of the American electorate emerge that is fundamentally opposed to the idea of democracy,” said Rigueur. “This opens up new kinds of categories for how we understand the American public, how we understand politics, and certainly how we understand the presidential election.”

She noted that the latest election cycle has introduced new forms of polarization and fresh perspectives on race, gender and class that intersect in complex ways and reflect significant changes, especially in the realm of democracy.

“There's a radical transformation, almost revolutionary in many ways. But it is also built on the building blocks of history,” said Rigueur. “The new kinds of things that we are seeing coming out of this election cycle are vast. We are seeing new types of polarization and partisanship. But we are also seeing different kinds of intersections in terms of how race, class and gender play out.”

She highlighted four areas in which she has seen the most radical change in voter behavior and understanding of the broader field of American politics. These include linked fate or the connectedness between and among racial groups, the concept of education, views of democracy and the impact of technology.

“There is a far more complex, richer, more nuanced story…and we miss that because we focus on this really narrow slice of the immediate, the data that comes up in the immediate aftermath of the election,” said Rigueur. “And when we do that, we end up ignoring this larger landscape of how the nation arrives at a particular political moment.”

She spoke about how factors such as the two-party political system, gender issues, campaign differences and identity politics are impacting voters who are still coping with unresolved issues of the global pandemic. Rigueur offered the audience four “framing” questions they should consider to better understand the current political climate and the results of the 2024 presidential election. As a political historian, Rigueur points to the presidential election of 1968 as a precedent for the 2024 election.

“It was an election that was marked by social protests, multiple attacks, assassination attempts, including successful assassination attempts on Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Rigueur. “You actually can't understand modern presidential politics and contests, including the 2024 election, without understanding the historical antecedents and building blocks that make the present-day moment possible.”

She urged the audience to consider other historical moments that have served as key foundations for the 2024 election and to reflect on major shifts in American politics over the past 60 years, including movements like the Tea Party, that have shaped today’s environment. She also emphasized the importance of recognizing how history has been used – and sometimes misinterpreted – to explain election results.

Rigueur concluded the conversation by emphasizing how campaign financing and Citizens United have dramatically changed the amount of money that can be pumped into campaigns through the formation and funding of super PACs. She points to the importance of education as a way to strengthen the appreciation and understanding of democracy within the United States.

“If you can buy elections, then that is not democratic. That is subverting democracy. In the last month alone, I’ve been hearing people say that democracy is a dirty word. They say democracy is a failure, and that should be alarming,” said Rigueur. “But it's also part of the reason why educators, journalists and spaces like Quinnipiac actually need to do the work of teaching civics. We need to teach people why democracy is the best political ideology to adopt.”