Americans believe in elections as an essential element of democracy and stable government. But sometimes, elections not only change leaders but whole policy. The results of foreign elections can trigger American emotions ranging from elation to anger. U.S. elections can confuse foreigners, cause them to reevaluate their policies, and set off long-term policy changes and alignments abroad. Amid swirling electoral currents, U.S. diplomats are charged with maintaining our relations, explaining foreigners to Washington and Washington to foreigners, and advancing our interests even when we change our mind about what these are.
Dr. Tyson Reeder is a historian of early American politics, constitutionalism, and foreign relations at Brigham Young University. He is a recognized authority on James Madison, most recently authoring Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison’s America. He was also a faculty member at the University of Virginia, where he was an editor of the Papers of James Madison, with an expertise in Madison’s tenure as secretary of state.
