Asking tenured professors, who are recognized experts in their field, is actually a very reliable thing to do. Discrediting them because of the political climate in their city is ridiculous. I know very few true scientists who allow political views to influence their scientific findings, as much as the conservative press likes to pretend that it does.

And note that I was asking him for what his colleagues nationally believed, not what was believed just here in Madison.

Plus this particular department is very highly regarded in national rankings. If they allowed political biases to influence their science, it would hurt them academically.