Endorsements or commentary by key business leaders can affect undecided voters’ choices in the 2024 presidential election.
Here's a look at which business leader could have the biggest influence on the 2024 election.
What Happened: A new Benzinga reader poll shows that Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s endorsement of Donald Trump in the 2024 election might have had the biggest influence on the outcome.
"Which tech leader is having the most influence on the 2024 presidential election?" Benzinga asked.
The results were:
- Elon Musk: 79%
- Mark Cuban: 8%
- Mark Zuckerberg: 7%
- Peter Thiel: 3%
- Tim Cook: 3%
While it may not be surprising that Musk won the poll, the overwhelming margin of his victory might catch some off guard. Musk endorsed Trump for president earlier this year and since announcing his endorsement has become more vocal on social media platform X about the election and his political leanings.
Trump and Musk took part in a Twitter Spaces together, and Trump has also said he will offer the Tesla CEO a role in the White House if he wins the 2024 election.
The endorsement of Trump, who has spoken out on electric vehicles many times, came as a bit of a surprise, but also follows years of conflict with the Biden administration and clashes over unions and which company is doing the most to provide for the future of electric vehicles.
Cuban received the second-highest total in the poll, and he differs significantly from Musk in the 2024 election race. Cuban is one of several Silicon Valley figures who have publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. The Harris campaign has asked Cuban for input on several items.
Zuckerberg and Trump have clashed in recent years over the handling of the former president's account on social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. Trump claims that Zuckerberg told him that he couldn't vote for a Democrat in the election, which Zuckerberg's team has denied.
"As Mark has said publicly, he's not endorsing anybody in the race and not communicated to anybody how he intends to vote," a spokesperson said.
Zuckerberg will remain a figure to watch ahead of and after the election as social media platforms seek to fight misinformation and allegations of election interference. Trump has hinted at potential jail time for Zuckerberg in the future.
Thiel has publicly endorsed Trump for the 2024 election, but unlike past elections, he is not donating to the former president.
Did You Know?
- Congress Is Making Huge Investments. Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool
Why It's Important: While most voters will make their decision in the 2024 election based on one or several key factors, such as the economy, immigration, inflation, abortion, health care, and more, some undecided voters may look to technology leaders they respect to get a sense of what could be in store in the future.
With Trump, a past president, his proponents have pointed to how the country performed during his time in office. For Harris, the key could be sharing how she will be different from the Biden administration under which she is currently serving.
The economy experienced high inflation and many consumers were hurt over the last several years, while the stock market reached all-time highs during the same time period.
Outside of technology leaders, global superstar Taylor Swift may have the biggest influence on the 2024 election as her endorsement of Harris helped immediately boost the betting odds for the vice president and her links to voter registration sites saw a surge in traffic.
The study was conducted by Benzinga Sept. 19 through Sept. 20, 2024, and included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 156 adults.
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© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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