Experts available to discuss state and national election topics

As we move closer to Tuesday’s election and the results become known, East Carolina University political science faculty are available to speak to reporters about state and national election issues. See individual areas of expertise, interests and contact information below.

Additionally, ECU’s Center for Survey Research (CSR) produces political polls used in national media. The latest polls are available on the CSR website.

Peter L. Francia

franciap@ecu.edu; 252-328-6126 (office); Visit Francia’s staff webpage

Expertise: U.S. elections, campaign finance, interest groups and public opinion

Francia is a professor of political science, co-director of leadership studies and director of ECU’s Center for Survey Research. He specializes in American politics at the national level. He is the former president of the North Carolina Political Science Association and is the author of numerous books, journal articles and book chapters, including his most recent publication, the fourth edition of “Conventional Wisdom and American Elections: Exploding Myths, Exploring Misconceptions,” co-authored with Jody Baumgartner. 

Brad Lockerbie

lockerbieb@ecu.edu; 252-328-1066 (office); Visit Lockerbie’s staff webpage

Expertise: economics and elections; religion and American politics

A professor of political science, Lockerbie specializes in American politics with a focus on economics, religion and elections. He is also part of the quadrennial presidential forecasting group at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association. He is the author of “Do Voters Look to the Future? Economics and Elections.” 

Jonathan S. Morris

morrisj@ecu.edu; 252-328-1067 (office)

Expertise: humor and American politics

Morris is an associate professor of political science and senior polling scientist for ECU’s Center for Survey Research. His research focuses on the media and American politics, especially political humor and cable news. He co-authored “Politics is a Joke! How TV Comedians are Remaking Political Life” and has published in several journals, including Political Research Quarterly, Public Opinion Quarterly, Legislative Studies Quarterly and Political Behavior.

Thomas Eamon

eamont@ecu.edu; 252-328-1061 (office)

Expertise: North Carolina and Southern politics

Eamon is an associate professor of political science specializing in North Carolina and Southern politics. He is the author of a major book on post-World War II North Carolina politics, “The Making of a Southern Democracy,” published in 2014.