Generally, voters quickly acknowledge to pollsters that candidates’ stances on issues influence their votes much more than their attributes. According to the article by Morning Consult (2018) on measuring the potency of political endorsement, my perspective is that political endorsement matters because every person has a different perception that affects one’s view regarding a potential candidate. Endorsements can be described as an intellectual shortcut for helping voters make sense of the policies and positions of a candidate. The article also depicts that most individuals are more likely to take cues from endorsers like political parties than actual policies. An endorsement also matters because some people have limited capacity to engage in effortful thought on politics and find it much easier to follow the party line than to evaluate the merits and shortcomings of every political policy.
Not all meaningful political endorsements come from politics; celebrities have been known to step into the political ring and throw weight behind their preferred candidate despite, on rare occasions, being highly valuable. While an endorsement from someone of the stature can tip the scales of an election, most endorsements mean very little in the grand scheme of things. Therefore, endorsements can matter only under the right circumstances and among endorsers with rarefied levels and appeal.
Endorsements are crucial in campaigning because they add credibility, and earn media, money, and new volunteers. To some extent, political endorsements offer unconditional support that helps in validating candidacy. Most important endorsers are nonpartisan such as community leaders or newspapers, celebrities, political leaders, friends, and families. When choosing the type of people to listen to, it is vital to listen to what everybody says to understand their views and stands regarding the potential for being elected. Listening to people’s opinions from all perspectives helps understand strengths and weaknesses that require improvement and know what to expect. However, because some people tend to damage endorsements, it is vital to choose who to listen to remain positive.
References
Measuring the potency of political endorsements. (2018). Morning Consult. Web.