Democratic Presidential Debates

Jason Husser, director of the Elon University Poll and associate professor of political science, recently offered his thoughts about the crowded field of contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination, and how viewers can assess the performance of the host of candidates during televised debates. 

"It's easy to think about these debates in terms of a sports metaphor — who won?" Husser says. "If we think about these debates as a game, that would mean you have 20 teams on the field, you have an unclear set of rules that change depending upon who you're talking to about how you score points and what it takes to win. And you have refs that are biased ... . When we think about these debates, especially about who won and who lost, we miss a real opportunity to learn about the candidates."

The Elon University Poll will be offering valuable insight into what's on the mind of N.C. voters leading up to the 2020 elections, with North Carolina to host the GOP Convention in August 2020 and sure to be a battleground state again.

If Dr. Husser can assist with your reporting about the 2020 presidential election and N.C. politics, please reach out to Owen Covington, director of the Elon University News Bureau, at ocovington@elon.edu or (336) 278-7413. Dr. Husser is available for phone, email and broadcast interviews.