Updated: Feb. 2024
John D. Rackey Email: jrackey@bipartisanpolicy.org
jdrackey.com
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Education:
University of Oklahoma Norman, OK
Ph.D. in Political Science 2022
● Dissertation: Empty Chairs in an Empty Chamber: Deconstructing the Myth of Debate in the U.S. Senate
● Committee: Charles Finocchiaro (Chair), Ann-Marie Szymanski, Justin Wert, Joe Ripberger, Darren Purcell
Masters of Arts in Political Science 2019
Randolph-Macon College Ashland, VA
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science & Music Education 2015
Institute for Qualitative and Multi-Method Research (IQMR) Summer 2019
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Employment:
Bipartisan Policy Center
Senior Policy Analyst Jan. 2024-Present
The Sunwater Institute
Director of Legislative Studies Dec. 2022-Jan. 2024
Georgetown University, Department of Government
Adjunct Lecturer Spring 2023
U.S. House of Representatives, Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
Professional Staff May-Nov. 2022
American Political Science Association Public Service Fellow Sept. 2021-May 2022
Social Science Quarterly
Editorial Assistant 2020-2021
University of Oklahoma
Graduate Mentor for Headington College 2017-2021
Graduate Teaching Fellow for Dept. of Political Science 2016-2021
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Publications:
Articles:
● Gaynor, SoRelle W., John D. Rackey, and Marian Currinder. 2023. “Political Scientists in Congress: Opportunities
for Employment and Improvement.” Political Science Today 3 (2): 12-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/psj.2023.27
● Peay, P.C. and John D. Rackey. 2022. “When Good Trouble Sparks Agenda Change: Disentangling the Evolution of
the Congressional Black Caucus’ Positions on Criminal Justice Reform.” Social Science Quarterly 102: 3158-3169.
doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13104
● Peay, P.C. and John D. Rackey. 2021. “From Complexity to Clarity: A Network Approach to Better Understanding
Issues on a Black-Interest Agenda.” National Review of Black Politics 2 (3-4): 145-170.
doi.org/10.1525/nrbp.2021.2.3-4.145
Chapters:
● Rackey, John D. and C. Tyler Godines Camarillo. 2022. “Stress Test: Three Case Studies on Vote By Mail During a
Global Pandemic.” In The Roads to Congress 2020, Sean D. Foreman, Marcia L. Godwin, and Walter Clark Wilson,
eds. Palgrave Macmillan Press.
● Rackey, John D., C. Tyler Godines Camarillo, and Keith Gaddie. 2021. “Oklahoma: The Big Sort Continues.” In The
New Politics of the Old South (7
th
), Charles S. Bullock, III and Mark Rozell, eds. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield
Press.
● Tyler Godines Camarillo and John D. Rackey. 2019. “Riptide: Two Republicans Prevail Against the Blue Wave.” In
The Roads to Congress 2018, Sean D. Foreman, Marcia L. Godwin, and Walter Clark Wilson, eds. Palgrave
Macmillan Press.
Updated: Feb. 2024
● Rackey, John D. and Ronald Keith Gaddie. 2018. “Oklahoma: The New One-Party South.” In The New Politics of the
Old South (6
th
), Charles S. Bullock, III and Mark Rozell, eds. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Press.
Government Reports and Testimony:
● U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Legislative Branch. Fiscal Year 2024
Members’ Day Hearing and Public Witness Testimony. March 24, 2023.
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP24/20230324/115451/HHRG-118-AP24-Wstate-RackeyJ-20230324.pdf
● U.S. Congress, House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. “Final Report, 117th Congress.”
Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office, December 15, 2022. (117-646).
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRPT-117hrpt646/pdf/GPO-CRPT-117hrpt646.pdf Lead Author,
Primary Co-Author Marian Currinder.
● U.S. Congress, House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. “Recommendations to Foster
Collaboration and Civility in Congress, to Modernize the Congressional Support Agencies, and to Encourage
Evidence-Based Policy-Making.” Washington: U.S. Government Publishing Office, December 8, 2021. (46-273).
https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CPRT-117HPRT46273/CPRT-117HPRT46273. Lead Author, with support from
the American Political Science Association Public Service Fellowship.
Datasets:
● Bell, Lauren C. and John D. Rackey. U.S. House of Representatives Witness Database, 1971-2016. Retrieved from
folios.rmc.edu/lbell/congressional-witnesses-dataset.
o Rackey, John D., Lauren C. Bell, and Kevin R. Kosar. “House committees are hearing from fewer witnesses.
That hurts public policy.” The Monkey Cage, The Washington Post. January 28, 2022.
Public-Facing:
● Currinder, Marian and J.D. Rackey. “The Importance of Collaborating Through Conflict.” The Hill. October 4, 2023.
https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/4238939-the-importance-of-collaborating-through-conflict/
● Rackey, John D. and Dillon J. Clark. “Why Reforming Senate Holds Can Benefit the Democratic Process.” London
School of Economics and Political Science American Politics and Policy Blog. August 16, 2023.
https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2023/08/16/why-reforming-senate-holds-can-benefit-the-democratic-process/
● Rackey, John D. and Daniel Schuman. “Making It Easier for the Less Wealthy to Serve in Congress.” The Bulwark.
May 4, 2023. https://www.thebulwark.com/making-it-easier-for-the-less-wealthy-to-serve-in-congress/
● Rackey, John D. “Rand Paul’s Budget Filibuster Shows the Decline of the US Senate as a Deliberative Body.” London
School of Economics and Political Science American Politics and Policy Blog. February 13, 2018.
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2018/02/13/rand-pauls-budget-filibuster-shows-the-decline-of-the-us-senate-as-
a-deliberative-body/
● Rackey, John. “The Senate is Broken, But Don’t Blame the Filibuster.” Legislative Branch Capacity Working Group.
October 10, 2017. http://www.legbranch.com/theblog/2017/10/10/the-senate-is-broken-but-dont-blame-the-
filibuster
● Rackey, John D. and P.C. Peay. “Why Senate Democrats Should Vote for Cloture on Gorsuch’s Nomination.”
London School of Economics and Political Science American Politics and Policy Blog. April 4, 2017.
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2017/04/04/why-senate-democrats-should-vote-for-cloture-on-gorsuchs-
nomination/
● Rackey, John D. “Democrats’ One Hope Left After 2016 Results: The Filibuster? Maybe Not.” London School of
Economics and Political Science American Politics and Policy Blog. November 21, 2016.
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2016/11/21/democrats-one-hope-left-after-2016-results-the-filibuster-maybe-
not/.
● Rackey, John D. and Lauren C. Bell. “Nuclear Fallout: Limiting the Filibuster Has Led to More Delays.” London
School of Economics and Political Science American Politics and Policy Blog. November 24, 2015.
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2015/11/24/nuclear-fallout-limiting-the-filibusterhas-led-to-more-delays/.
Reference:
● Rackey, John D. “Betsy DeVos.” Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (4th), Alison D. Howard ed. Apple Books,
2021.
● Rackey, John D. “Mike Richard Pompeo.” Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (4th), Alison D. Howard ed.
Apple Books, 2021.
Updated: Feb. 2024
● Rackey, John D. “Wilbur Louis Ross Jr.” Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (4th), Alison D. Howard ed. Apple
Books, 2021.
● Rackey, John D. “William Pelham Barr.” Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (4th), Alison D. Howard ed. Apple
Books, 2021.
● Rackey, John D. “Steven Terner Mnuchin.” Encyclopedia of the American Presidency (4th), Alison D. Howard ed.
Apple Books, 2021.
● Rackey, John D. “Joseph R. Biden Jr.” In American Biographies: American Political Leaders (2nd), Alison D. Howard,
ed. Facts on File: New York, NY, 2018.
● Rackey, John D. “Mitch McConnell Jr.” In American Biographies: American Political Leaders (2nd), Alison D.
Howard, ed. Facts on File: New York, NY, 2018.
● Rackey, John D. “Harry M. Reid.” In American Biographies: American Political Leaders (2nd), Alison D. Howard, ed.
Facts on File: New York, NY, 2018.
● Rackey, John D. “Elizabeth A. Warren.” In American Biographies: American Political Leaders (2nd), Alison D.
Howard, ed. Facts on File: New York, NY, 2018.
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Media Appearances:
• Saksa, Jim. “Does Your Congress Need Fixing? Call These Former Staffers.” Roll Call. January 25, 2024.
https://rollcall.com/2024/01/25/does-your-congress-need-fixing-call-these-former-staffers/
• Papp, Justin. “Shrugged Off and Ignored: Lawmakers Disagree on How to Ease Pain of Election Churn.” Roll Call.
November 30, 2023. https://rollcall.com/2023/11/30/lawmakers-disagree-on-how-to-ease-pain-of-election-churn/
• Henderson, Stephen. “What You Need to Know About This Year’s Mackinac Policy Conference.” Detroit Today,
Detroit’s NPR Station. May 23, 2023. https://wdet.org/2023/05/23/detroit-today-what-you-need-to-know-about-
this-years-mackinac-policy-conference/
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Teaching Experience:
Georgetown University
Instructor of Record:
• U.S. Political Systems-Spring 2023
University of Oklahoma
Instructor of Record:
● Making Public Policy- Fall 2020
● Media, Mapping and Power: The Geopolitics of Pop Culture -Spring 2019
o Co-taught with Darren Purcell (OU Dept. of Geography)
● Introduction to American Federal Government
o Online: May Intersession 2019, May Intersession & Summer 2020, Winter Intersession 2020
o In-person: Summer 2018, Summer 2021
Teaching Assistant for Introduction to American Federal Government:
o for Charles Finocchiaro- Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021
o for Justin Wert- Fall 2019
o for Keith Gaddie- Fall 2018
o for Melody Rowlett- Fall 2017, Spring 2018
o for Glen S. Krutz-Fall 2016, Spring 2017
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Awards & Grants:
● 2021- Best Graduate Student Paper Award (w/ Sam Hayes) presented at the Southwestern Political Science
Association Annual Meeting.
● 2019- The Prestage-Cook Travel Award from the Southern Political Science Association ($300).
● 2018- The H.V. Thornton Memorial Award from Department of Political Science at University of Oklahoma ($1000).
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Service:
● Council Member for the National Capitol Area Political Science Association (NCAPSA) 2023-2026
Updated: Feb. 2024
● Chair/Discussant for the Campaigns & Elections panel at SWPSA Apr. 2021
● President of the OU Graduate Association of Political Science (GAPS) 2019-2020
● Assisted with OU Department of Political Science’s Biennial Program Review Apr. 2020
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Selected Conference Attendance/Presentations:
● Lewallen, Jonathan, John D. Rackey, and Lauren C. Bell. “Information and Agenda Access in Congress and the
Supreme Court.” Paper presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, New
Orleans, LA. January 10-14, 2024.
● Peay, P.C. and John D. Rackey. “Under (Re)Construction: Challenging Dominant Social Constructions in Racialized
Policy Areas.” Paper presented at the Journal of Public Policy Spring Workshop Series, May 28, 2021.
● Rackey, John D. and Sam Hayes. “Ticking Clocks: Legislative Obstruction in U.S. States.” Paper presented at the
2021 Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Political Science Association, New Orleans, LA. April 15-17, 2021.
● Invited Attendee at the Understanding Legislative Negotiation Conference hosted by American University’s
Program on Legislative Negotiation and the Hewlett Foundation’s US Democracy Program. April 9, 2021.
● Peay, P.C. and John D. Rackey. “Reclaiming Our Time: Black-Issue Multidimensionality and Problem Definition in
the House of Representatives.” Paper presented at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science
Association, San Juan, PR. January 9-11, 2020.
● Rackey, John D. and P.C. Peay. “Hearing Black Voices: Minority Representation in Supreme Court Confirmation
Hearings.” Paper presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL.
April 4-7, 2019.
● Rackey, John D. and Lauren C. Bell. “Send in the B-Team: Declining Executive Branch Participation in Congressional
Hearings.” Paper presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, Austin, TX.
January 17-20, 2019.
