What Voters Don't Want

WaPo poll:

According to voters, being over the age of 72, a Mormon, twice divorced or a smoker all are bigger drags on a candidate's support than is gender or race. In this poll, nearly six in 10 Americans said they would be less likely to vote for an older candidate, three in 10 less likely to vote for a Mormon, a quarter less likely to support a candidate with two divorces and 21 percent less likely to back someone who smokes cigarettes. And for each of these, those turned off by the attribute greatly outnumbered those who said they would be more likely to support such a candidate. For example, while 58 percent said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate older than 72, a scant 3 percent said they would be more likely to prefer such a candidate.

Of course, attitudes can also shift, "In this poll, 29 percent said they would be less likely to support a Mormon candidate -- second only to age as a vote deterrent -- but that is down from 35 percent in December." On the other hand, anti-Mormon sentiment is highest among white evangelical Protestants who are disproportionately represented among the GOP primary electorate. The opposition to a smoker (.e., possible Obama) seems interesting and goes to show how successful public health groups have been in their efforts to not just bring wider public attention to the health risks of smoking, but actually turn smokers into a socially stigmatized group.