David Shor
David Shor is Head of Data Science at Blue Rose Research, a political data and analytics firm serving more than 100 clients and conducting tens of millions of interviews annually. He is widely recognized as a leading data scientist and political analyst, known for advancing the field of election science through rigorous statistical modeling, large scale survey research, and predictive analytics. With a background in political data analytics and electoral forecasting, Shor has become an influential voice in understanding voter behavior, persuasion dynamics, and campaign strategy. His statistics driven political analysis has been widely covered in major media outlets and frequently shapes discussions around Democratic electoral strategy. Prior to joining Blue Rose Research, Shor served for seven years as Head of Political Data Science at Civis Analytics, where he led the company’s web based survey and polling operations.
David Shor Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
-
Head of Data Science
-
Visiting Student Research Collaborator
Academic History
-
B.S., Mathematics
DATA SCIENCE & POLITICS
Shor is regarded as one of the most prominent and, at times, controversial data experts aligned with the Democratic Party.
He helped pioneer methods to survey large populations of voters and experimentally test their reactions to campaign messages and advertising.
His expertise spans statistical modeling and election forecasting, large scale polling and survey methodology, randomized controlled trials in political campaigns, machine learning applications in electoral prediction, and resource allocation and message testing for political organizations.
He is known for advising progressive groups on measurement frameworks, voter targeting, persuasion effects, and strategic resource deployment.
His work emphasizes empirical validation and experimental testing to guide political decision making.
THE 2012 OBAMA CAMPAIGN
Shor gained national recognition during Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential re-election campaign.
He worked on the team responsible for tracking public and internal polling and developing election forecasts.
He built and maintained the campaign’s forecasting system, which predicted the election outcome to within roughly one percentage point in every state.
His models also served as a key input in the campaign’s resource allocation decisions, helping determine where to deploy time, advertising, and field operations.
He was described by New York Magazine as Obama’s “in-house Nate Silver” for his role in the campaign’s data driven strategy.
CIVIS ANALYTICS
At Civis Analytics, Shor oversaw research and development initiatives that interviewed millions of voters on behalf of campaigns and electoral organizations.
He developed automated forecasting tools used by Democratic Party leadership to inform strategic decisions.
His work included operationalizing and interpreting hundreds of large randomized controlled trials and improving survey efficiency, significantly reducing unit costs.
During the 2020 United States elections, he advised multiple liberal political action committees on polling, forecasting, and message testing.