WashU Law Professor Travis Crum, Treiman Professor of Law, has joined NBC News as a contributor ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
During his first appearance, he sat down with NBC News host and correspondent Gadi Schwartz to discuss the Justice Department’s lawsuit to block Alaska senate race results if the Republican incumbent loses.
“Normally, you see these types of lawsuits filed after the ballots have been counted,” said Professor Crum. “Back during the first Trump administration, when you would see these aggressive but frivolous claims brought, it was typically the Trump campaign that was bringing them, or maybe the RNC. But now you’ve got the Department of Justice bringing it, and that gives it a veneer of legitimacy. But in fact, it’s just tarnishing the name of that institution.”
Professor Crum is an accomplished election law scholar whose research on voting rights, race and federalism has been published in leading law journals and cited by federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court in Allen v. Milligan. His scholarship on the Voting Rights Act has helped shape national legal strategies to protect minority voting rights, and he has been featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Economist.
Congratulations to Professor Crum on his new role with NBC News. We look forward to seeing his election law expertise reach a national audience throughout the fall.
Watch the full interview
Professor Crum’s segment starts at the 20:35 mark.
