The Iowa Caucus on Feb. 1 (Monday) -- the first major electoral event of the 2016 presidential race -- has become a contest between Republican candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump, who have been separated in polls by two or three points at most. Their closest competitor, Marco Rubio, is running behind by double digits. Among the Democrats, Bernie Sanders leads Hillary Clinton by eight points.

The following University of North Texas faculty members are available to provide preview and analysis of the Iowa Caucus:

Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha, professor and chair of UNT's Department of Political Science, is the co-author of Breaking Through the Noise: Presidential Leadership, Public Opinion and the News Media and The President's Speeches: Beyond "Going Public." He has been interviewed by the Associated Press, Dallas Morning News, Governing magazine, San Francisco Chronicle and Scripps Howard News Service, among other media outlets, and appeared often on NPR to discuss presidential races.

Phone: 940-565-2329
E-mail: mes@unt.edu

Kimi King, an associate professor of political science, teaches a constitutional law course on discrimination and the powers of the government and a course on laws and institutions in American government. She also researches institutional powers and equal protection, civil rights and civil liberties, and criminal procedure.

Phone: 940-597-4802
E-mail: kking@unt.edu

Valerie Martinez-Ebers is a professor of political science and co-editor of the American Political Science Review. Her areas of expertise include race, ethnicity and Latino politics, including immigration policy analysis and program evaluation; the impact of migration into the heartland of the United State; the rise of Latino voters and the role of Hispanic legislators. She has academic and personal familiarity with Ted Cruz in particular.

Cell phone: 940-390-2304
E-mail: valmartinez@unt.edu

James E. Mueller, professor of journalism in UNT's Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism, wrote about Hillary Clinton's interactions and communication with reporters during her first presidential campaign in his book, Tag Teaming the Press: How Bill and Hillary Clinton Work Together to Handle the Media. He has been following Clinton's campaign this year for a possible update to the book.

Phone: 940-368-3528
E-mail: jmueller@unt.edu

Philip Paolino, associate professor of political science, will discuss candidates' performance, voters' perceptions of candidate viability, voting patterns, political psychology and political participation during election season. He has published articles in a number of scholarly journals, including American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political Science and Political Analysis.
Phone: 703-310-7162
E-mail: paolino@unt.edu