Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama might have talk show host Oprah Winfrey in his corner, but a new study from the Pew Research Center found that such celebrity endorsements have little impact on voting habits.
In fact, state governors carry more weight with potential voters than celebrities.
How delicious.
Here were some of the study's key findings:
- Nearly seven-in-ten Americans (69%) say that if they heard Winfrey was supporting a presidential candidate it would not influence their vote. And among those who do see an impact, the net expected effects are so mixed as to cancel each other out. Among the 30% who say they would be influenced by a Winfrey endorsement, 15% say they would be more likely to vote for the candidate and 15% say they would be less likely to do so.
- State governors are the most influential - 37% say their governor's endorsement might affect their vote. But the impact of their endorsement is decidedly mixed. While 19% say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate their governor endorsed, almost exactly as many (18%) said this endorsement would make them less likely to support the candidate.
- Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan is one of only two individuals tested in the poll who had a net positive impact on potential voters. While 65% of the public said an endorsement from Greenspan wouldn't affect their voting choice, 18% said it would make them more likely to support a candidate (14% said less likely). Republicans are more likely than Democrats to see a Greenspan endorsement as a plus.
- Religious leaders have a positive impact on voters as well: 18% say an endorsement from their minister, priest or rabbi would make them more likely to vote for a candidate (12% say less likely). Clergy influence is especially potent among Republicans. Fully 27% say they would be positively influenced by a clergy endorsement. This compares with only 17% of Democrats.