The debate as to whether publications should endorse political candidates is one that has raged for decades. A curious debate given the reasons most publications were launched in this country was to advance the publisher’s personal views on local politics, politicians and situations.
During the heyday of newspapers when there was two or three newspapers in the same town, one was known as the liberal press, one as the conservative rag and if there was a third, it likely had the reputation of supporting a more alternative view.
Clearly the heyday is over and the general news media is regularly relegated to liberal side. (But depending on which meeting you’re attending on any given day, a newspaper is just as likely to be accused of being too conservative.)
Then there are the niche publications – like business journals – which tend to be painted with a similar broad brush. Business publications must be conservative because all business people are conservatives, right?
Not so fast.
Given the results of the political poll of business people we recently completed through our email distribution list, it doesn’t appear that simple at all.
Short of being “statistically significant” by research standards, more than 10 percent on the list responded by weighing in on who they support in each of the 14 races on the ballot. All votes were private and those who participated are not known, even to us.
On a strict Blue vs. Red tally, Democrats led in eight of the races and Republicans led in six. Indicative of a much more liberal business community than expected? Possibly, but we think there is a different dynamic at play.
Almost without exception – and there is one notable exception – the business community polled in favor of the status quo rather than change. In 10 of the 14 races polled, there is an incumbent seeking re-election and in nine of those 10, incumbents pulled ahead.
In six of those races, the difference is more than 10 points – a significant difference two weeks from election.
The lone exception to this incumbent rule is the race for governor. The difference in our poll is four points and the front-page “Shop talk” doesn’t show any business people leaning toward Gregoire.
The four races in which there is no incumbent, the Dems have the edge in each and by more than 10 points in three of those.
So, what does all this mean?
With our poll showing an overwhelming endorsement for incumbents, it would appear that as a business community we’re more interested in working through the significant problems we face with those we know rather than those we don’t know as well.
Or perhaps our business community is being somewhat Solomon about the situation by saying what we really need is balance in this raucous economy and the best way to achieve that is to be sure that all the ideas are at the discussion table.
We like the approach of having all sides and ideas at the table, working through them and creating solutions with broad support.
Regardless of conservative or liberal tendencies, the most important opinion we can share is not who to vote for but to be educated about who is running and VOTE!
