Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar Josh Busby writes about the dynamic role of foreign policy issues in the 2012 election season in this article featured on the University of Texas homepage. According to Busby, voters in the Republican primaries have been more concerned with economic issues than with foreign policy, but this may soon change.

Busby writes that because of the electorate’s conservative leanings and marginal concern for foreign policy issues, GOP candidates are maintaining their party’s traditional focus on defense spending and continued military engagements overseas.

Despite a general preoccupation with the state of the economy, Busby believes that the escalation of tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear program may soon bring foreign policy back to the forefront of the domestic debate. Busby examines some of the consequential decisions that the U.S. will have to make in regards to the situation in Iran, including whether to impose sanctions and how to deal with rising gas prices that result from embargoes on Iranian oil. Busby concludes that foreign policy could play a larger role in the general election this fall as a result of major world events that unfold this summer.