Bowman shares how research helped with college project

Before graduating from Haverford College this spring, Bailey Bowman, a River View High School alumni, explored how Democrats could reconnect with rural voters in Ohio, research rooted in her own upbringing that strengthened her commitment to electoral reform and legal advocacy.

Turning to her hometown roots in rural Ohio, Bowman investigated how Democrats could establish better connections with white, rural voters, a constituency that remains elusive for the party. Her thesis, “Of the Land, For the People: Candidate Identity and Economic Populism in Rural America,” examined whether rural Americans respond more favorably to Democratic messages when they come from rural, working-class candidates themselves.

Guided by her adviser Steve McGovern, professor and chair of political science, Bowman refined her initial idea, which focused more broadly on the rural-urban divide, into a specific question about Democratic strategy. McGovern, she said, encouraged her to collect extensive data, conduct interviews and listen to the community she was studying.

“His mentorship made this project what it is,” she said.

Bowman, who majored in both political science and English, also credits Jack Hasler, visiting assistant professor of political science, who helped her learn the programming language R to analyze and present her survey data.

Her research revealed that in Coshocton, Bowman's home county, white rural voters tend to favor candidates with rural, working-class identities and respond positively to economic populist messages, even when they cross party lines. Those findings, she said, suggest Democrats might perform better if the party nominates candidates who reflect those identities.

“My biggest takeaway is that rural white Americans are far more nuanced than they’re often portrayed,” she said. “Years of disinformation and broken promises have left many disaffected, but that disaffection is not a lost cause; it's an opportunity to rebuild trust and foster a more inclusive democracy.”

The thesis process also strengthened Bowman's resolve to pursue a career in law. She plans to take the LSAT in September, then work in electoral reform or litigation during a gap year.

“My thesis deepened my commitment to addressing inequities in our political and legal systems,” she said. “In a time when trust in politics is eroding, I see the law as one of the last shared frameworks we can rely on, though my research also made clear how subjective and flawed the legal system can be. That tension motivates me to advocate for those most impacted by legal inequity.”

Bowman, a Chesick Scholar, said she found a sense of belonging and support through the mentors and programs she engaged with at Haverford. A writing center tutor, library liaison and editor for the Tri-Co Law Review, Bowman also completed a second thesis, focused on environmental justice in Amitav Ghosh's Gun Island, for her English major. A Center for Peace and Global Citizenship-funded internship with FairVote, where she advocated for ranked choice voting, further deepened her commitment to electoral reform and public service.

“The most important lesson I took from this project,” she said, “is that you can accomplish even the most demanding tasks when you're driven by care and commitment. Despite the rigor of the process, I felt grounded because I was writing about a community I know and love: my own.”