In its quadrennial survey, the marketing research division of Kelley Blue Book tells us that we don’t need a bumper sticker to let other drivers know who we prefer in the upcoming election – the make and type of vehicle that we drive says it all.
You may think that it’s Obama versus McCain, but it’s really…
1. Domestic vs. Import
According to the survey, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) leads Senator Obama and has a very high rating with domestic vehicle owners. Among owners of these brands, the senator from Arizona rates the highest with GMC (61%), Chevrolet (60%), Buick and Dodge (each with 58%) and Ford (57%) owners (it should be noted that there was no indication if any of those Ford owners drove Mavericks).
Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), on the other hand, leads Senator McCain when it comes to the owners of import vehicles. The senator from Illinois gets his highest rating from MINI (70%), followed by Subaru (61%) and Saab (59%). In addition, 50% of Honda owners plan on voting for Obama, while only 40% support McCain.
2. Station Wagons and Hybrids vs. Full-Size Trucks & SUV’s and Luxury SUV’s
The survey results show that vehicle segments also have a direct correlation to their owner’s candidate preferences. McCain receives his highest support from owners of full-sized trucks (66%), full-size sport utility vehicles (61%) and luxury sport utility vehicles (61%).
Obama, on the other hand, finds support from the owners of luxury station wagons (59%), station wagons and sport wagons (55%), hatchbacks (52%) and luxury crossover vehicles (52%). Obama also leads with 48% of hybrid owners – nine percentage points more than McCain.
Ownership reflects campaign issues
According the survey, a connection can also be made between owner preferences and the Republican and Democratic campaigns. It states that “Republican rallies often promote the idea of ‘drill, baby, drill,’ which may link gas-guzzling truck and SUV owners to McCain. On the other hand, Obama has stressed the importance of putting more money toward wind, solar, and other alternative forms of energy, which may relate to his popularity among hybrid owners” (many of whom have been the recipients of federal tax credits in what might be construed as a form of vehicular socialism).
The survey goes on to parallel the domestic/SUV owner and McCain supporter with those vehicles that are traditionally sold in Republican “red” states, while import/hybrid owners that prefer Obama are found in “blue” Democratic states with strong vehicle sales in these segments.
And the winner is…
According to Kelley Blue Book Marketing, the survey correctly predicted the winner of both the 2000 and the 2004 presidential elections, but according to sources at Kelley, this year it’s a dead heat, so they’re not predicting a winner.
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Tags: buick, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, gmc, Honda, john mccain, kelley blue book, MINI, obama, saab, subaru
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