archived: 17 - 23 Sep, 2006         Back                 Next

UPDATED: SEP 21, 2006

                        WAL-MART VOTES 

Wal-Mart is entering into the political fray nationally, with certain effects on North Carolina as well.  

Wal-Mart is initiating a voter registration drive within the community of its employees:  

Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest employer, is planning to launch a voter registration and education campaign this fall targeted at its 1.3 million employees in an effort to combat growing criticism from Democrats and labor unions.

 

By doing so, the world’s largest retailer is striding into the national political arena, which until this election cycle it has taken pains to avoid.  . . .

 

The company’s decision appears to be a response to several high-profile Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and four 2008 Democratic presidential hopefuls, who participated in a labor-organized anti-Wal-Mart campaign this summer.

 

Compensating for its lack of experience educating potential voters, Wal-Mart has worked with the League of Women Voters, one of the nation’s preeminent voter education groups, to craft materials to distribute to employees. . . .

 

Wal-Mart for years had tried to stay out of politics. “They shunned politics for so long,” said Nu Wexler, spokesman for Wal-Mart Watch, a labor-backed organization. “For the better part of two years they were claiming the debate [over its business practices] wasn’t political and shouldn’t be politicized. This is an enormous change from what they were saying.”

 

Wal-Mart’s new focus comes after labor unions have made it a primary political target. Union leaders say Wal-Mart has depressed wages and fiercely opposed employees’ efforts to organize.

 

Wal-Mart’s opponents escalated their attacks this summer with a “Wake Up Wal-Mart” tour. The tour, funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, held anti-Wal-Mart rallies around the country.

 

Several Democratic presidential hopefuls such as former Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.), New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack joined in. So did Democratic Senate candidates including Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), Sen. Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Ned Lamont, Rep. Sherrod Brown (Ohio), and Rep. Ben Cardin (Md.).

 

“Wal-Mart is already one of the largest, most profitable companies in this country,” said Bayh at a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, last month. “The time has come for it to do what it takes to be one of the most respected, too. And it’s going to accomplish that by treating its workers with basic dignity and justice. That’s what we’re asking for here today.”

 

The chorus of criticism from Democratic lawmakers and liberal activists appears to have had an effect. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll published Friday showed that 52 percent of Americans said companies like Wal-Mart “should be reviewed and regulated more” over its health and pension benefits. In the poll, 45 percent of the respondents rated Wal-Mart positively while 31 percent did not.

 

Wal-Mart responded to criticism from Democratic presidential hopefuls by rebutting them in letters to 18,000 Iowa employees.

 

“We would never suggest to you how to vote, but we have an obligation to tell you when politicians are saying something about your company that isn’t true,” Wal-Mart stated in its August letter, according to a report by the Associated Press. “We urge you to talk with your friends, your family and your neighbors about the good Wal-Mart does.”

 

Wal-Mart also sent letters to staff in other presidential primary states such as New Hampshire and South Carolina, said Paul Blank, campaign director for WakeUpWalMart.com.

 

The company appears poised to expand its efforts to all its employees and to follow up by encouraging them to register to vote and giving the information they need to cast ballots on Election Day.             

Wal-Mart has a major presence in many North Carolina communities.  Republicans, who already have a net gain of some 8,000 voter registrations over Democrats in North Carolina in 2006, will get an appreciable boost from Wal-Mart’s effort. 

And, if Wal-Mart’s initial efforts within its employees is successful, should Democrats expect Wal-Mart to extend voter registration services to its customers?  Democrats must start factoring the possibilities of that strategy for 2008.  

The State Democratic Party did not have a coordinated statewide voter registration drive in 2006 until later summer.  Instead, the Democratic Party has staked its fortunes on turning out existing registered Democrats.  In September, the State Party started encouraging local Party organizations to conduct voter registration efforts and announced a state wide plan of asking every Democrat to register new voters. 

The Republican Party organization has had a coordinated statewide plan in effect throughout the year and Wal-Mart’s effort will certainly supplement their registrations.   

The State Board of Elections will release updated voter registration statistics in early October.  We can begin to measure the relative success of the Republicans + Wal-Mart vs. the Democratic Party Plan.  

                        NC BUSH

Bush is experiencing a rise in his approval ratings nationally.  The following is an analysis of Bush’s gains in North Carolina.  The polling numbers are taken from Survey USA. 

Bush’s revived public approval started in mid-May following Bush’s first national address on the war in Iraq.  Nationally, the pattern of the rise has been consistently up, but in spurts followed by periods of leveling.  However, the overall trend is strong nationally (+7%) and in NC (+10%) from mid-May to mid-September.  In NC, Bush has risen from 35% in May to 45% in September. At the moment, nothing appears to suggest the trend may not continue. 

Where has Bush fashioned his rising support?   

First,  Bush’s numbers have risen among MEN (+10%) and WOMEN (+11%).  Bush has returned to the traditional pattern of having more support among MEN (51%) than WOMEN (40%) that has been the hallmark of the Parties for an extended period.   

Perhaps the most shocking fact is that younger citizens in North Carolina are driving Bush’s resurgence.  Among those 18 to 34 Bush is up +17% since May.  Compare that to those 35 to 54 at +10% and those 55+ at just 4%.    

Contrary to some opinions that Bush is simply recapturing the Republican base, Bush has picked up support in both Parties and among independents; Republicans +12% since May, +11% in Democrats during the same period and only +8% with Independents. 

There is a distinct socio economic bent to the rise in Bush’s approval rating.  While Bush’s approval rating has actually dropped for those who have not attended college (-8%), those who have attended some college is up strongly (+19%).  Notice carefully however, that the more highly educated, those with graduate school eduction, provide the second lowest level of support for Bush; 39% approve with 58% disapproving his performance in office.  It is, broadly speaking, middle class North Carolinians who give Bush a higher approval rating than disapproval.