Panel Discussion with Former Members of Congress

On November 16, 2022, we had the pleasure of welcoming former Members of Congress Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT) and Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL) for a panel discussion. The event was co-organized by Amerika Haus NRW e.V., the North American Studies Program of the University of Bonn, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS) in cooperation with the US Association of Former Members of Congress.

Martha Roby served as the U.S. Representative for Alabama’s second congressional district from 2011 to 2021. She served on the Agriculture, Armed Services, Education, and Workforce committees; and, as chairman, she also served on the Subcommittee of Oversight and Investigations of the House of Armed Services Committee during the 113th Congress.

Ben McAdams represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House from 2019 to 2021. McAdams is also a former Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor and former member of the Utah State Senate (2010-2012). During his time in the U.S. House, McAdams served on the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

At our public event in Bonn, PD Dr. Jasper Trautsch (Senior Lecturer in the North American Studies Program) discussed the U.S. midterm elections with Mrs. Roby and Mr. McAdams, sharing their explanations for the results, analyzing the campaign strategies of both parties, and addressing the issues the US political system faces in view of the rampant polarization.

Our gratitude goes out to everyone who joined us and participated! We also thank our co-organizers: Amerika Haus NRW e.V.,, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS), and the US Association of Former Members of Congress for making this event possible.

Most importantly, we want to thank our guests, Martha Roby and Ben McAdams, for joining us and sharing their experiences and insights with the audience.