Small Businesses Would Rather Republicans Take Power In Midterms Than Democrats, According To New Poll

A majority of small business owners would rather see Republicans take power in the upcoming midterm elections than Democrats, according to a new poll from the Job Creators Network.

The monthly survey, taken from a nationally representative sample of 500 small business employers, found that 55% of respondents believe Republicans would “do more to help small businesses,” while 29% said the same about Democrats. Support for the latter party was strongest in the western and eastern portions of the country, while those in the south were more likely to back the former party.

“The midterm elections are upon us and it’s clear Mainstreet has a horse in the race. According to our polling, a majority of small business owners prefer Republican candidates to perform well on Tuesday, saying the outcome will better help the small business community,” Job Creators Network Foundation President Elaine Parker said in a statement provided to The Daily Wire.

A similar question asked whether Republicans performing well in the midterms would help or hurt small businesses. Roughly 58% of employers said that Republican victories would “help,” while 19% anticipated “no impact” and a mere 15% anticipated “hurt.” The trend held among female-owned businesses, while an even larger portion of minority-owned businesses indicated a preference for Republicans.

“It’s not a surprise why: entrepreneurs want Congress to be a bulwark against Biden administration policies, not a rubber stamp,” Parker continued. “Out-of-control government spending, backwards domestic energy policies, and the threat of higher taxes and more government red tape has put the economy on ice.”

Businesses with fewer than 20 employees held a double-digit preference for Republicans, while businesses with more than 20 employees slightly preferred Democrats.

The poll results came as the Bureau of Labor Statistics unveiled a report showing that unemployment reached 3.7% last month, marking a 0.2% increase from levels recorded in September as policymakers at the Federal Reserve increase target interest rates.

Other surveys have indicated that voters generally trust Republicans over Democrats to handle economic issues such as record-high inflation and supply chain bottlenecks. President Joe Biden reacted to the most recent employment news, which also showed an uptick in payrolls, as a sign that the labor market “remains strong” under his watch.

“Inflation is our top economic challenge, and I know that American families are feeling squeezed. The global inflation that is raging in other countries is hitting us as well. I’ve got a plan to bring costs down, especially for health care, energy, and other everyday expenses,” the commander-in-chief said in a statement. “We’re going to do what it takes to bring inflation down. But as long as I’m president, I’m not going to accept an argument that the problem is that too many Americans are finding good jobs.”

Beyond preferences in the midterm elections, the poll asked small business owners about the direction in which they see the economy trending. Although strong pluralities or slight majorities said last summer that the economy was getting “better” rather than getting “worse” or staying the “same,” an inflection point occurred at the end of last year, with the share of employers indicating a “worse” outlook on the economy quickly expanding. A strong jump in pessimism among small businesses last month aligns with many Republican candidates recently experiencing windfalls in the polls.