The Elon assistant professor of journalism spoke with the Raleigh News & Observer about recent incidents of U.S. Senate candidates banning the press from their events.
Elon University Assistant Professor of Journalism Israel Balderas was featured in a recent News & Observer article examining campaign press access in North Carolina’s closely watched U.S. Senate race. The story explored recent decisions by the campaigns of Republican Michael Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper to restrict access to certain media outlets during campaign events and the implications for voters.
Balderas, a First Amendment attorney and former journalist, emphasized the important role journalists play in helping the public stay informed.
“If you take the reporter out, it’s not that you’re getting less information, it’s that you’re getting information nobody checked,” Balderas said. “And that’s the issue because in a free society, the idea is that voters want to be well-informed so they can make their own judgment come Election Day, but you take that out of the equation, and it’s the voter that loses.”
Balderas explained that reporters serve as stand-ins for voters who cannot attend campaign events themselves, documenting what candidates say and do. He noted that banning reporters from these events is a “Trump strategy,” and one that won’t work in this election.
He added that what’s driving the electorate now on both sides of the aisle and for independents is that people are tired of a system that is rigged.
“I think … authenticity is what voters are craving and maybe in the past, this would have been red meat for the people on the right, but this is a general election in a purple state where 2-3% of the electorate are going to decide this election,” Balderas said. “Maybe him saying no to … The Assembly, that’s going to stir up his base, but the fact that you are excluding the press is going to send a signal, that well, is Michael hiding something?”