photo by: Courtesy: Dole Institute

The Dole Institute of Politics on the West Campus of the University of Kansas.

A national journalist who follows political races across the country will be in Lawrence next week to discuss how the 2026 midterm elections are shaping up for both Republicans and Democrats.

Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Cook Political Report will be at the Dole Institute of Politics for a 7 p.m. public event on Oct. 30.

The Dole Institute — located on KU’s West Campus at 2350 Petefish Drive — announced several new events for the late fall season, with many focusing on politics and leadership issues.

Walter will discuss the upcoming midterm elections with KU alum Jerry Seib, who is the former executive Washington editor for The Wall Street Journal. The duo will examine the host of factors that are expected to shape the results of the 2026 midterms, which will determine which party controls the U.S. House and U.S Senate.

Other events announced on Thursday include:

• Croatia’s ambassador to the U.S. will give a public presentation at the Dole Institute that delves into U.S. foreign policy and how Croatia — a central European country of about 4 million people — views many of the top diplomatic issues of the day.

Ambassador Pjer Šimunović will speak at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the Dole Institute. Šimunović has served as Croatia’s ambassador to the U.S. since 2017, and previously was a journalist with the BBC and various European publications.

• The mayor of Wichita will be in Lawrence to discuss the challenges of trying to grow a city in sustainable and strategic ways. Wichita Mayor Lily Wu will speak at 4 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Dole Institute. Wu is the first female elected to a full mayoral term in Wichita, and also is the Asian American mayor in Kansas. Prior to serving as mayor, she was a television journalist and anchor for various television stations in Wichita.

• The Dole Institute will once again host a gala celebration to honor American veterans and their families. The Tribute to Veterans Gala is set for 5 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the institute. The event will feature live music by the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra and a special “Salute to Veterans.” the event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Information about reservations can be received by reaching out to the institute in person or via email at doleinstitute@ku.edu

• Attorneys and Dole Institute Visiting Fellows Ed Duckers and Pedro Irigonegaray will host a panel discussion and debate about whether the electoral college system should be abolished. The event is set for 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 20 at the institute.