Luke E. Perry, Ph.D.

Biography

Luke Perry is a tenured Professor of Government at Utica College. Perry was a graduate fellow at the University of Massachusetts where he earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science with expertise in American politics and comparative politics. 

A Fulbright Scholar, Perry has lectured at universities throughout Europe and worked with various organizations, including the Junior Statesmen of America, the Kellogg Foundation, the U.S. Peace Corps, and The Washington Center. Perry’s research focuses on U.S. elections, the presidency, and religion and politics. 

Perry’s first book, Mormons in American Politics; From Persecution to Power (Praeger, 2012), provided a systematic account of how Mormons overcame being the most persecuted religious group in America to fill prominent positions in American government. 

Perry’s second book, Mitt Romney, Mormonism, and the 2012 Election (PalgraveMacMillan, 2014), examined what Romney’s nomination meant for America, U.S. politics, and for Mormons.     

Perry’s third book, Religious Responses to Marriage Equality (Routledge, 2018), examined theological and political responses to the legalization of same sex marriage through comparison of case studies of religious groups across America's religious and political spectrum. 

Perry’s fourth book, Donald Trump and the 2018 Midterm Battle for Central New York (Palgrave, 2019), examined the impact of Donald Trump on the 2018 midterm campaign with case studies of NY-19, NY-21, NY-22, and NY-24.

Perry is a panelist for Ivory Tower on WCNY and election analyst for WKTV News Channel 2. He served as a correspondent at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 2016 and the presidential inauguration in 2017. 

Perry is a columnist for the Observer Dispatch and has provided commentary for various state and national media outlets, including City and State New York (read here),The Washington Post (read here), U.S. News and World Report (read here), The Hill (read here), and The New York Times (read here). 

Perry founded and directs The Utica College Center of Public Affairs and Election Research. The Center has a global team of contributors who provide daily political analysis on state, national, and international politics. (Learn more at http://www.ucpublicaffairs.com ) He writes regularly about the significantly competitive 2020 Congressional race in NY-22 in his column NY-22 Minute (read here).