Newswise — Four political scientists and an historian from UC San Diego will preview the political campaigns leading to the Nov. 4 general election focusing on how the elections are likely to affect San Diego. The experts will host a briefing for the news media at 8 a.m. October 14 in the Silver Room of the local city government complex at 3rd Avenue and B Street, downtown San Diego. Each of the scholars will offer short general observations on crucial elements of the coming election, participate in a Q&A session, and be available for one-on-one interviews.
The event is sponsored by UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox and the university's Board of Overseers. Scholars and their topics of discussion are:
* Prof. Marisa Abrajano will review Hispanic voter sentiment nationally, in California and in San Diego She will also discuss how women are lining up to vote in local and national races.
* Prof. Steve Erie will discuss ballot initiatives, the San Diego City Council and city attorney races and how their outcomes will affect the balance of power in San Diego. He also will analyze other political and economic effects of the general election on San Diego.
* Prof. Zoltan Hajnal will discuss changing attitudes of white voters toward black political candidates, including the role of race in the presidential election and in San Diego and regional voting.
* Prof. Thad Kousser will discuss coattail effects on California voting of national elections and the national economy. He will focus on state ballot initiatives: same sex-marriage, re-districting and alternative energy. He will speculate on how high voter turnout might make San Diego a blue county for the first time in decades and will forecast the potential impact of economic issues on voter sentiment.
* History Professor Naomi Oreskes will focus on potential impact of environmental and science-policy issues on voter attitudes and turn-out.
The two-hour event will begin with a continental breakfast after which each scholar will provide a brief overview in their area of expertise. Reporters will subsequently be invited to question speakers in a news conference format and there will be time for individual interviews.
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