Winthrop to host pre-primary forums

With South Carolina’s presidential primaries fast approaching, Winthrop University will host two public forums next week on the race for the White House.

On Monday, former Washington Post columnist and White House speechwriter Michael Gerson will speak in Owens Hall at 4:30 p.m. Gerson’s talk will focus on the importance of foreign aid in the 2016 race, U.S. national security and economic development efforts, as well as his time working in the George W. Bush administration.

On Tuesday, two political scientists from both Carolinas – Winthrop’s Scott Huffmon and Michael Bitzer of Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. – will discuss the region’s importance in the presidential race this year. South Carolina will hold the first-in-the-South primary for both parties, the Republicans on Feb. 20 and the Democrats on Feb. 27, and North Carolina will follow on March 15.

The Charlotte Observer’s Jim Morrill will moderate the discussion at 11 a.m. at Dina’s Place in the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

Both events are hosted by the John C. West Forum on Politics and Policy.

Winthrop has hosted several political events this year, including a nationally televised Democratic presidential forum in November and appearances by nine different presidential candidates.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Winthrop to host pre-primary forums."