Small Business Owners Largely Undecided in Presidential Race

Heading into the Republican National Convention, small business owners continue to favor Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential race. However, Trump, with 37% support, barely edged out the 36% who remain undecided; 28% of small business owners think Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for small business, according to the latest Manta poll.

Trump has maintained a lead among small business owners throughout the election, though the gap has narrowed since the start of primary season. According to a Manta poll in February, 38% of small business owners said Trump was the best candidate for small business, while 21% supported Clinton on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.

The 36% of small business owners who are still undecided will likely be the candidates’ focus as the race heats up. Through the debates and general election small business owners will be listening carefully for specific policy proposals that affect their livelihoods.

“Regulation, tax incentives, lending requirements—these are the things we want to compare because they impact our daily lives,” said Nick Braun, founder and CEO of PetInsuranceQuotes.com.

“If you run a small business you know how hard it is just to keep up with the administrative burden the government has imposed on us over the past eight years,” Braun said. “Trump is a better candidate for small business owners because he understands the challenges we face. … Say what you want about his personality or verbal gaffes, the guy did build one of the most recognized real estate businesses in the world.”

Alex Reichmann, CEO of iTestCash, thinks Clinton’s proposals are more favorable, such as her plan to simplify tax filing for small business owners. Trump’s plan to cut the corporate tax rate would benefit big corporations more than small businesses, he said.

“The downside to Trump is that he is anti-free trade and is proposing an additional 15% tax for outsourcing jobs and a 20% tax on importing goods, which could significantly raise business costs for many companies,” Reichmann said.

Like many other small business owners, Ryan Hulland, president of Netfloor USA, has as many questions as answers about the candidates’ policies at this point in the race. He wishes he could cut through the posturing and political rhetoric to get to detailed proposals.

“Small business owners have a duty to vote not just according to their personal beliefs, but according to what will help their businesses and employees the most,” he said.

“Anyone can get up in front of a crowd and promise to lower taxes and remove red tape,” Hulland added. “I would expect concrete plans in lieu of empty promises, and look to their past to see if they have a great track record. That would be a great indicator of a candidate being able to make real change and help small businesses grow.”

Poll methodology: Between July 13 and July 14, 2016, Manta surveyed 652 small business owners via on-site poll. The margin of error is +/- 3.84 percentage points with a 95% confidence.

Source: Manta