Identity portfolios
How identities become available, salient, and politically consequential across contexts.
Sergio García-Ríos
Assistant Professor
LBJ School of Public Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin
Director of Polling and Data
Univision News
About
My research examines how Latinos develop and use portfolios of identities and how those identities shape political behavior, policy attitudes, and participation.
Born and raised in Durango, Mexico, and a fronterizo by choice, I bring an identity-centered approach to the study of American politics. My work combines surveys, experiments, and quantitative analysis with a sustained interest in the political lives of immigrants.
That scholarship informs my teaching and my public-facing work. At Univision News, I design and interpret polling that helps explain Latino public opinion during major election cycles.
Research
Research interests
Latino political behavior
Voting, participation, issue priorities, and the political incorporation of Latino communities.
Public opinion & surveys
Measurement, survey modes, bilingual research, and rigorous analysis of diverse populations.
Publications
Selected scholarship
2025
Neighboring Groups and Political Attacks ↗
Political Research Quarterly, 78(4), 1474–1490
with Randy Besco, Julian Lagodny, Nazita Lajevardi, Kassra Oskooii, and Erin Tolley
2024
The 2024 Presidential Election through Latino Lenses: Priorities and Vote Choice ↗
The Forum, 22(2–3), 369–391
with Angela E. Gutierrez, Angela X. Ocampo, and Angie N. Ocampo-Roland
2023
The Participatory Implications of Racialized Policy Feedback
Perspectives on Politics, 21(3)
with Nazita Lajevardi, Kassra Oskooii, and Hannah Walker
2022
Fight Not Flight: The Effects of Explicit Racism on Minority Political Engagement
Electoral Studies, 80
with Randy Besco, Julian Lagodny, Nazita Lajevardi, Kassra Oskooii, and Erin Tolley
Current appointments
2022–present
Assistant Professor
LBJ School of Public Affairs
The University of Texas at Austin
2022–present
Associate Director for Research
Center for the Study of Race and Democracy
The University of Texas at Austin
2019–present
Director of Polling and Data
Univision News
Education
2015
PhD, Political Science
University of Washington
2013
MA, Political Science
University of Washington
2010
MA, Political Science
The University of Texas at El Paso
2007
BBA, Economics; BA, Philosophy
The University of Texas at El Paso
Selected recognition
2021
MPSA Latino Caucus Early Career Award
Midwest Political Science Association
2019
Adaljiza Sosa-Riddell Award
American Political Science Association
For exemplary mentoring of Latino/a junior faculty in political science
Teaching
Methods, politics, and policy
My courses connect substantive policy questions to careful research design and hands-on analysis.
Graduate
Survey Design & Analysis ↗
From questionnaire design and fieldwork to reproducible analysis in R.
Undergraduate
Data Analysis for Public Policy ↗
Statistical reasoning, visualization, inference, and regression for policy questions.
Graduate seminar
Latino Politics
Identity, participation, representation, and public policy in the United States.
Graduate seminar
Immigration Politics & Policy
The politics, institutions, and human consequences of immigration policy.
Public engagement
Polling and media
I serve as Director of Polling and Data for Univision News.
My work with Univision includes designing and analyzing public-opinion research on Latino voters, elections, immigration, and public policy, as well as presenting findings to national audiences in English and Spanish.
Appointments
Office hours and meetings
Use the calendar to schedule an available meeting time.