Linda Killian is an author, journalist, historian and political analyst who has written two books on contemporary American politics. She has a Ph.D. in history and is working on a book on Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine’s Lost Democratic Vision. She has frequently appeared on national radio and television and her writing and commentary has been published in many national publications and websites.
Books Written by Linda Killian
The Swing Vote:
The Untapped Power of Independents
The Freshmen:
What Happened to the Republican Revolution?
Praised by The New York Review of Books as a colorful, well-written and insightful analysis of what happened to the congressional Republican freshmen of 1994 who gave the GOP its House majority and made Newt Gingrich Speaker of the House.
Featured Commentary
How Donald Trump’s Candidacy Might Resonate With Voters (Really)
Published in The Wall Street Journal 6/16/2015
Many pundits and journalists will dismiss Donald Trump’s candidacy as a joke. But in his announcement that he is running for president, Mr. Trump said a lot of things that many Americans have been longing to hear. And he said it all plainly and bluntly–communication styles that are not in the repertoire of most politicians.
Right message, horribly wrong messenger
Published in USA Today 10/26/2016
Donald Trump’s assertions that the election might be rigged and that he will only accept the result if he wins (a supposedly facetious remark) have roiled the news media and political waters. But his overall campaign message that the entire political system is rigged against average Americans is the reason he is still in this race despite his horrible personal behavior and outrageous statements. Even though he is a deeply flawed messenger and not up to the job of being president, his message has resonated with millions of Americans who will still be angry and seeking change after Election Day.
From Washington to Lee to Trump
Published in US News 8/17/2017
When President Donald Trump likened Confederate Army commander Robert E. Lee to slave holders and Founding Fathers George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and asked if we should pull down memorials to those two men along with statues of Lee and other Confederates, he perhaps inadvertently raised an important and extremely difficult question about American history.
The Republican Push to Make It Harder to Vote
Published in The Atlantic 8/2/2013
Laws like North Carolina’s draconian new voter-ID laws are a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. But voter backlash could be fierce.
Yes, Independent Swing Voters Are Real. And May Decide Who Wins Elections
Published in The Daily Beast 11/3/2014
This midterm election has been pretty terrible measured by the metrics that independent/swing voters care about. Instead, there’s been a record $4 billion spent mostly on vacuous television attack ads, little substantive discussion about important issues or a clear argument for how Republicans or Democrats would lead the nation, and the feeling that nothing will really change in Washington no matter which party wins control of the Senate. That’s why a lot of voters could stay home November 4th.
Paging Through History
Published in The Washingtonian 1/11/2012
Congressional pages have brought a youthful idealism to the Capitol for two centuries. Now they’re suddenly gone from the House—and some people think it’s a mistake.
Media Appearances
Book Reviews Written by Linda Killian
Ambitious, flawed Ben Franklin on a path to greatness
A review of “Young Benjamin Franklin: The Birth of Ingenuity” (N. Bunker, Knopf, 2018)
Review by Linda Killian Published in the Washington Post 11/29/2018
Ingenuity is the central theme of Nick Bunker’s book about the first half of Franklin’s life. “Ingenuity” was Franklin’s favorite word, and in the 18th century it meant a combination of intellect, imagination, practical skills, wit and sociability — all traits Franklin possessed in abundance. In “Young Benjamin Franklin: The Birth of Ingenuity,” Bunker offers ample evidence to illustrate how Franklin developed ingenuity and how it influenced the rest of his life. Franklin’s origins, character and background, Bunker writes, serve to explain the man he