Greensboro, N.C. - The DNC convention hasn't even begun, but the race for president is in its final lap. After both conventions are over, what will happen in the final weeks before Election Day?
Let's fast-forward to one week from today. By then, the RNC and DNC conventions will be history. The president will probably get a bump in the polls just like Mitt Romney got this week.
As of next Monday, Election Day is 56 days away.
Political science experts tell WFMY News 2 you will see more ads on tv, online and in the newspaper. You should also expect more personal targeting, too (door knocks, phone calls, emails and letters in your mailbox).
"People should be as suspicious of political contacts as they are of business contacts. The person who is seeking votes comes to us as citizens for a purpose: to gain our approval, to gain our support, to gain our vote. Sometimes the contacts are real. Sometimes they are almost manipulative," UNCG Professor Emeritus David Olson said.
Also, watch out for what has become known as the "October surprise." It's something unexpected that happens to one or both sides right before Election Day. Depending on how they react, it could make or break their campaigns.
"That might be about the only thing that will change the trajectory of this race. It's been close. It continues to be close. And, that's what we would expect unless there is something drastic that happens," High Point University Political Science Professor Martin Kifer said.
One of the only ways to avoid dealing with fallout from that "October surprise" is to encourage early voting. As a result, you should expect to see plenty of early voting campaigns in the coming weeks.
WFMY News 2