The League of Women Voters of Piedmont invites its members and community members to join political scientist and author Seth Masket for a special fundraising luncheon on Friday, Oct. 30, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. His topic is “Winning and Losing: How Do Our American Political Parties Remember and Forget?” Piedmont Mayor Betsy Smegal Andersen will introduce the speaker. Get tickets HERE.
Near the eve of the Nov. 3, 2026 election, University of Denver Professor Seth Masket will shine a light on some of the surprising differences between how our political parties deal with losses — and fight for survival. Appealing to voters of all parties, this talk by a leading scholar will raise important questions — and point out intriguing dynamics — about party identity, and how parties and their voters deal with wins and losses and hopes for the future.
Visiting here from Colorado, Masket is hosted by the League of Women Voters of Piedmont. His deep research via interviews with party leaders, insiders, and voters reveals insights and contradictions as to how our country’s two main parties operate…from grassroots to top leadership. His just-published book (June 2026), The Elephants in the Room: How Trump Voters Seized the Party from Republican Leaders and prior volume (2020), Learning from Loss: The Democrats 2016-2020, provide unique — and remarkable — insights. With his dry sense of humor, he’ll help answer the very timely question, How did we get here?
“Seth Masket’s work gives us an opportunity to step back from the daily political news cycle and examine how political parties actually work,” said Lisa Gardner, President of the League of Women Voters of Piedmont. “For the League, informed and engaged citizens are essential to a healthy democracy. We hope this luncheon will encourage thoughtful conversation and greater understanding of the forces shaping our political system.”
Dr. Seth Masket is a professor of political science at the University of Denver. He researches and teaches about political parties, state legislatures, and campaigns and elections. Masket regularly contributes to Politico, the NYT, and to The Smotus Report Substack newsletter. Masket holds a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a doctorate from UCLA. He was the Senior Visiting Scholar at the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions at Vanderbilt University in 2024-25.
EVENT DETAILS
- Dr. Seth Masket LWPV fundraising luncheon: Winning and Losing: How Do Our American Political Parties Remember and Forget?
- Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- 801 Magnolia Ave (Piedmont Center for the Arts), Piedmont
The luncheon is a fundraising event for the League of Women Voters of Piedmont. Proceeds support the League’s nonpartisan voter education, civic engagement, and democracy programs in the Piedmont community.
Tickets ($40 LWVP members/$45 nonmembers) and additional event information are available through the League of Women Voters of Piedmont HERE. Pre-registration is required.
The League of Women Voters of Piedmont is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy through voter education, civic engagement, and informed participation in government.