Who’s That?
A recent Meredith College poll shows why you shouldn’t pay attention to early polls.
Asked to identify photos of North Carolina’s top elected officials, most voters had no clue.
80% did identify Roy Cooper, who’s been governor for seven years and attorney general for 16 years.
Still, 20% didn’t know him. And these were voters, mind you, not random people on the street.
How about Mark Robinson, a right recognizable guy who’s had tons of media attention – for better and worse?
Only 44% knew him. (FYI, the photo is him.)
The lesson: People who live and breathe politics every day read way too much into early polls.
Voters won’t pay attention until a few million dollars in TV ads force them to. Then they’ll learn a lot about the candidates – good and bad.
For now, most voters’ interest in politics is as wide and deep as their thumbnail.
Who’s That?
A recent Meredith College poll shows why you shouldn’t pay attention to early polls.
Asked to identify photos of North Carolina’s top elected officials, most voters had no clue.
80% did identify Roy Cooper, who’s been governor for seven years and attorney general for 16 years.
Still, 20% didn’t know him. And these were voters, mind you, not random people on the street.
How about Mark Robinson, a right recognizable guy who’s had tons of media attention – for better and worse?
Only 44% knew him. (FYI, the photo is him.)
The lesson: People who live and breathe politics every day read way too much into early polls.
Voters won’t pay attention until a few million dollars in TV ads force them to. Then they’ll learn a lot about the candidates – good and bad.
For now, most voters’ interest in politics is as wide and deep as their thumbnail.