OH poll reveals voters strong preference for pro-business candidates

OH Predictive Insights, an Arizona-based polling firm, recently surveyed Arizona voters asking how important it is that a candidate seeking office is pro-business. The poll, conducted on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business, specifically asked “how important would it be if one of their [state legislative candidates] primary issues was a business-friendly approach and pro-small business?”

The poll, which ran on September 5 and 6, found that 53 percent of voters said it was very important, 24 percent responded with moderately important, 12 percent answered slightly important, and 5 percent felt it to be unimportant. According to Mike Noble, Chief Pollster and Managing Partner of OH, the population is likely to reflect the November 2018 voter sample based on gender, party affiliation, and other criteria.

Noble was surprised by the polling results. “It’s a very politically polarizing atmosphere, so it was interesting to see that most people can agree on this,” he said.  In fact, small businesses connect more people than one might imagine. According to a 2018 Morning Consult poll, 24 percent of Americans work at a small business, nearly half of Americans have a family member or friend who works for one, and 72 percent purchase goods from small businesses often.

NFIB state director Chad Heinrich touches on the key issues impacting small businesses. “Recently, the most important problem for small businesses has been quality of labor. Workforce is definitely a concern for small businesses, and it’s followed by concerns over tax policy and government regulation.”

Indeed, high income tax rates have been shown to cause small-business owners to migrate, as they are especially sensitive to tax fluctuations. World-renowned economist Stephen Moore explains that states like Nevada, Tennessee, and Washington do not have income taxes, and their economies are currently booming. He notes that Arizona’s business environment thrives because of its overall low tax rates and that the progression of small-business in the state might slow if income taxes rise.

Additionally, Arizona has created success due to a positive regulatory environment. With fewer hoops to jump through, companies like TuSimple have chosen to thrive and expand in Arizona. In fact, TuSimple Vice President Chuck Price even stated, “We chose Arizona because the regulatory climate is correct. It allows us to develop a safe and effective solution that we can bring from testing to production.”