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PennWest to host midterm election analysis forum Nov. 10

October 28, 2026

PennWest University will host a panel of journalists, academic experts and political party leaders Nov. 10 to discuss the results of the 2026 midterm elections and their implications for Pennsylvania and the nation.

The Dr. Melanie Blumberg Election Analysis Forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Duda Hall, Room 103, on PennWest’s California campus. A social with refreshments will precede the forum at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, with participation also available via Zoom.

Sponsored by the PennWest American Democracy Project, with support from the University Libraries, the forum will be moderated by Dr. Kevan Yenerall, professor of political science at PennWest.

The forum honors the late Dr. Melanie Blumberg, a political science professor at California University of Pennsylvania who founded the campus’s American Democracy Project chapter and championed civic engagement and voter participation.

“Election results tell us who won, but understanding why voters made their choices and what comes next requires a deeper conversation,” Yenerall said. “This forum brings different perspectives together to help our students and community examine the results, ask questions, and consider what they mean for our democracy.”

Panelists include:

Jon Delano, retired KDKA political analyst, who spent three decades covering politics for KDKA-TV and interviewing presidents, candidates, and cabinet members from both parties. He also taught public policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College for 25 years.

Dr. Amber Gaffney, associate professor of psychology at Cal Poly Humboldt and research faculty member at Claremont Graduate University. Her research examines political identities and how they influence people’s thinking, voting, and willingness to change their minds.

Kate Garfinkel, chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, a community organizer and retired attorney.

Brian Weismantle, chair of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County and a retired Pittsburgh Bureau of Police detective.

Louis Jacobson, chief correspondent for PolitiFact and chief author of The Almanac of American Politics. Jacobson is also serving as an election-night race caller for The Associated Press during the 2026 election cycle.

Participants can attend in person or join via Zoom at pennwest-edu.zoom.us/j/95910122860.