In terms of clout, the list is dominated by well-known figures from the two major political parties and the special interest groups aligned with them. The tally of influence was ordered from smallest to largest by the share of registered voters who said that person's or entity’s endorsement “made no difference either way” when it came to affecting their potential vote for a candidate for public office.
"Endorsements do matter; what you do with them is more important," GOP consultant Susan Del Percio said in a March 8 phone interview. "They need to be treated as a way of targeting the group you seek to persuade, especially on certain issues."
The Republicans and Democrats surveyed did not share many opinions on endorsements, but they were most likely to agree that their spouse's or significant other's opinion about a candidate could be influential. Half of Democrats and 51 percent of Republicans said a spousal endorsement would make them more likely to vote for that candidate.
A plurality of independents (37 percent) agreed. Men, in general, were also more likely than women to say the opinion of their spouse or significant other mattered (49 percent compared to 42 percent).
Former President Barack Obama and ex-first lady Michelle Obama held the most bipartisan appeal as they finished near the top of the list for independents, who tended to view most political figures negatively. Their potential endorsements only netted a plurality -- of 13 and 12 net percentage points, respectively (the survey carries a 2-point margin of error) -- of voters who said they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate with their public backing.
By comparison, President Donald Trump and 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton ranked near the bottom among independents, damaging their top-line influence.
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