As we await the results of the biggest US Presidential Election we have ever seen, I have found an interesting article on how car choice reflects how Americans vote.
Kelley Blue Book Market Research surveyed almost 12,000 US car owners and how they planned to vote in the election. They found that owners of larger trucks and traditional luxury cars are more likely to vote for John McCain, while owners of hybrids and station wagons are more likely to vote for Barack Obama.
Backers of Arizona senator McCain typically own American brands – GMC (61%), Chevrolet (60%), Buick and Dodge (58%). McCain voters are also more likely to drive luxury brands like Lexus and BMW.
Barack Obama followers prefer imported vehicles, with the most popular being the Mini with 70%, Subaru (61%) and Saab (59%).
McCain supporters are most likely to drive full size trucks and SUVs, while Obama voters drive station wagons, hatchbacks and hybrids.
Rick Wainschel from Kelley Blue Book said “Car ownership says a lot about a person, and can even be an indicator who they are likely to vote for”. I do agree with this to an extent. While all this data may seem like a sweeping generalisation, some of it does make sense.
Sales of domestic and large trucks (McCain) are higher in traditionally Republican ‘red’ states whilst import and hybrid owners are predominantly located in Democratic ‘blue’ states.
Wired Blog claims all American brands like GMC and Chevrolet, as favoured by McCain followers, represent a blue collar ethic and fit with McCain’s image as a war hero with years of experience.
Throughout the campaign, Obama has stressed the importance of renewable energy, so it’s not surprising that eco-conscious hybrid car owners would vote for him.
So while some of it makes sense, I’m sure there are a lot of exceptions to the rule. I imagine a lot of American car choices reflect personal budgets and need for space rather than their voting preference.