Economic Worries Number One Issue for Most Active FL Voters
Posted August 16, 2012 06:30 am
By
Stephanie Carroll Carson
TALLAHASSEE, FL - Florida is seen as a swing state in this 2012 presidential election, and political experts say senior citizens could be the ones to swing the vote in the Sunshine State. A study released this week found that economic anxieties are the number-one issue for non-retired baby boomers, with 75 percent of respondents saying it's a top concern.
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Florida Survey
Political expert Bob Hall examined the research and says seniors are looking for candidates to support their views on issues important to them.
"Seniors are the most active voters. Seniors are up
for grabs, really. So, how they're going to behave in
this election will be crucial."
The survey, conducted by AARP, found that concerns for
seniors go far beyond just job creation, and instead
respondents indicated concern about general financial
security. Cutting across party lines, 91 percent of
respondents said the next President and Congress need to
strengthen Social Security.
Nancy LeaMond with AARP says their research also points
to the fact that seniors are among those paying the
closest attention to candidates' messages, and therefore
may be the most willing to change their vote based on
the issues.
"They show up on election day, and they also care a lot
about being well-educated on where candidates stand. We
think that candidates ignore the 50-plus vote to their
peril."
According to USA Today, President Obama and and
Republican candidate Mitt Romney have spent $350 million
in nine swing states, including Florida, so far.
LeaMond says their research shows that ads focusing on
issues facing seniors will give candidates the most bang
for their buck.