Which U.S. presidential candidate has the most support among small businesses in Washington: Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
The economy and jobs are the two most pressing issues for Washington state small business owners, according to a recent survey conducted by Thumbtack.com and George Washington University (GWU).
“Small businesses are deeply attuned to the effect of politics on job creation and the economy,” said Dr. David Rehr, a member of the GWU team that worked on the survey. “Entrepreneurs are feeling squeezed by the tight lending environment, and they want their elected leaders to curb the influence of money on politics.”
The findings include:
• 38 percent of all Washington small business owners rated the economy and jobs as the single most important factor in choosing a president
• Of those who responded, 36 percent said Barack Obama is more supportive of small business, while 34 percent said Mitt Romney, and 29 percent were unsure.
• Washington small businesses rate gas and fuel costs as the single most burdensome cost to their businesses — more burdensome than even self-employment taxes or health care costs
• 80 percent of Washington small businesses indicated that state small business incentives are important to the success of their business
• 20 percent of Washington small businesses indicated that President Obama’s health care policy helps their business
“After a monthlong survey of over 6,000 small business owners nationwide, we have heard an unusually nuanced story about what really concerns (small businesses),” said Sander Daniels, co-founder of Thumbtack.com. “These entrepreneurs are an important barometer of our nation’s economic health and political sentiment. When job creators speak, we need to listen as closely as possible.”
The questions asked by Thumbtack.com and GWU included:
• What’s the single most important issue in your choice for president?
• Thinking specifically about the economy, what is the most important economic issue in your choice for president?
• How important are the following issues to the success of your business?
To view the full report on Washington state, visit www.thumbtack.com/wa.
