Norman Jay Ornstein (born October 14, 1948, in Grand Forks, North Dakota) is an American political scientist renowned for his expertise on the U.S. Congress and American political institutions. He earned a BA (1970) and PhD (1974) in political science from the University of Minnesota, focusing his doctoral research on congressional behavior and legislative processes. Since 2021, he has served as an emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), following a long tenure as a resident scholar at the conservative think tank. Ornstein is best known for his collaborative works with political scientist Thomas E. Mann, including the influential books 'The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track' (2006) and 'It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism' (2012), which critique congressional dysfunction, polarization, and gridlock. He is recognized for his bipartisan yet conservative-leaning analyses, frequently criticizing extremism on both sides of the political spectrum while emphasizing institutional reform. Ornstein has also contributed as a political commentator for outlets like NPR, The Atlantic, and CNN, providing analysis on elections, legislative dynamics, and partisan conflicts. He continues to engage in public discourse on challenges in American democracy.