LUBBOCK, Texas -
Political scientists and international affairs experts at Texas Tech say there's a lot at stake in the United States over Great Britain's referendum on whether to leave the European Union.
Chair of the Political Science Department, Dennis Patterson, says the immigration and social issues at play in the United Kingdom mirror American concerns over international security.
"These kinds of things are very, very contentious political issues, and that's really where all the attention is," Patterson said. "I think deep down inside, the economics might rule, and well, I think a lot of people hope the economics rule, because it's smarter business sense to keep unified, unify the market, and make the Euro be the currency."
Former U.S. Ambassador Tibor Nagy says there's another aspect of the U.K.'s vote that deserves attention, too.
"If the United Kingdom as a whole votes to leave the EU, but the Scots vote very, very strongly in favor of staying, then one thing to look for will be a new vote for Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom," he said.
Nagy says we likely won't know the result of the vote until after midnight.
