Time is running out on this election and as we get to the home stretch, North Carolina’s role seems to be becoming more important.
The finish line is in sight, and the final sprint of the 2016 election has seen the presidential campaigns blanket North Carolina. The lead has see-sawed between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the most recent polls of Tar Heel voters, many of whom have already cast ballots in early voting.
The state's down-ballot races are also drawing national attention. The HB2 controversy has drawn interest in the gubernatorial race, and the contest between Deborah Ross and Richard Burr could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.
Battleground status is relatively new for North Carolina. Why the sudden interest in our politics? For the past few elections, Catawba College's Dr. Michael Bitzer has been the go-to man for the rest of the nation for an explanation of the state's political scene. He joins us Monday, as does another veteran of politics, NPR's Ron Elving. We'll discuss North Carolina's prominence in the election, and what to look for when the polls close.
GUESTS
Dr. Michael Bitzer, professor of political science, provost; Catawba College
Ron Elving, senior editor and correspondent, NPR
RELATED READING
Protests and Storms Make North Carolina's Election Year 'a Bizarre Experience' (The New York Times, Oct. 26)
Burr's North Carolina duel could determine whether Republicans keep the Senate(The Washington Post, Oct. 25)
NC Home To 2nd Most-Expensive Gov. Race In Country (Tom Bullock, WFAE)
Old North State Politics blog, Dr. Michael Bitzer