Duke political scientists Kerry Haynie and Peter Feaver discussed the presidential election with a group of international reporters Friday at the university's new office in Washington, D.C. Haynie, seated left before the screen, described the changing demographics and racial politics within North Carolina, which is considered an electoral swing state. Feaver, in the white shirt, discussed how foreign policy and national security issues may affect voters.
Reporters who cover Washington for outlets as diverse as the Irish Times and China's Xinhua news agency attended the luncheon. Their questions ranged from the large number of immigrants who have moved to North Carolina in recent years to the likely electoral impact of an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility.
"My editors keep asking me about what happened to the Tea Party," one reporter said, asking about the movement's influence in North Carolina. (Haynie and Feaver's response: Important, but less than some pundits predicted.)
Duke's Office of News and Communications organized the event.
Photo by David Jarmul