AARP and Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies release survey of African-American voters in South Carolina...Nearly all African-American voters in South Carolina think Presidential candidates should commit to action on affordable health care (97%), retirement security (96%) and family financial security (95%)

COLUMBIA, S.C., April 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hours before the

first Democratic presidential debate in Orangeburg, AARP and the Joint

Center for Political and Economic Studies have released the results of a

survey designed to gain insight into the issues African-Americans voters in

South Carolina want political candidates to address.

   
 

The survey results show that more than eight in ten people polled consider the issues of affordable health care (85%), strengthening Social Security (82%), and the cost of prescription drugs (81%) to be important considerations in their choice of a presidential candidate. Nearly all think candidates for President should commit to action on affordable health care (97%), retirement security (96%), and family financial security (95%).

   

"As observers of the South Carolina political scene are well aware, the

African-American vote is very important and influential in this state,"

said Ralph B. Everett, the Joint Center's President and CEO. "But it is

also true that African-Americans do not vote as a block, and this poll

shows that they are carefully weighing the issues and will assess the

multitude of candidates accordingly."

"While 81 percent of South Carolina African-Americans have employer

provided, government sponsored, or individually purchased health insurance, almost half (45%) say it is very or somewhat difficult to pay their health insurance premiums. Health reform proposals from the presidential

candidates should address rising health care costs faced by insured

families if they are to connect with voter concerns," said Everett.

   
"A candidate must clearly state his or her views on health care, Social

Security, and other issues important to African-Americans and the public at large, so that voters will have the opportunity to make an informed choice about which candidate to vote for," said Joyce Payne, member, AARP National Board of Directors. The survey reported that African-American voters in South Carolina are already highly engaged in the 2008 Presidential campaign. Eighty-five percent are either very or somewhat closely following coverage even though the South Carolina primary is almost one year away. To be responsive to this interest, candidates will need to aggressively reach out to African-American voters in South Carolina and nationally on issues that are important to this critical voting constituency.

   

Nancy LeaMond, AARP Group Executive Officer, Office of Social Impact,

"African-American voters in South Carolina see that Washington is stuck in

gridlock and too dominated by special interests. And AARP agrees. We need our leaders to stop bickering and work together to address the financial and health security problems that so many Americans face." Seventy-one percent feel the country is more politically divided today and 77% consider the political process in Washington to be seriously broken.

   

"AARP and our allies like the Joint Center are working diligently to

entice and engage the candidates to create solutions, not roadblocks in

solving these critical domestic issues. Through our Divided We Fail

campaign, we will see these solutions and opportunities come forward," said LeaMond.

   

Another important finding:

Maintaining a strong Social Security system is important to

African-American retirement security. One-third (33%) of

African-American likely voters in South Carolina will rely on Social

Security as their major source of income in retirement. Fewer expect to rely mainly on an employer-sponsored pension plan (19%) and more expect to rely mostly on their own retirement savings (43%).

 

A full copy of the study can be found here:

http://www.aarp.org/research/legis-polit/elections/aarpsc_jointcenter.html.

   

BACKGROUND:

The AARP and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

conducted a survey in South Carolina among 700 African-American likely

voters in April of 2007. The purpose of the survey was to understand the

concerns African- Americans in South Carolina want to see addressed by

candidates for the respective Democratic and Republican political party

nominations. AARP is proud to be working with the Joint Center for

Political and Economic Studies. As the premier think tank on issues of

concern to African-American voters, the Joint Center provides unparalleled insight into the most important public policy issues of the day. By collaborating closely with the Joint Center, AARP seeks to both understand and highlight the unique perspectives of African-Americans.

 

Recently, AARP unveiled Divided We Fail (http://www.dividedwefail.org),

a national effort designed to engage the American people, elected officials and the business community to find broad-based, bi-partisan solutions to the most compelling domestic issues facing the nation -- health care and the lifetime financial security of Americans. The campaign will encompass traditional grassroots work, advertising in national outlets and in the primary states, and online activities which will engage the public, business and elected officials in the debate, encouraging public leaders to offer solutions.

   

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is a national,

nonprofit research and public policy institution based in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1970, it is recognized as one of the nation's premier think

tanks that focuses on issues of importance and concern to African Americans and other people of color. For more information about the Joint Center, visit its Web site at http://www.jointcenter.org or call 202-789-3500.

   

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps

people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are

beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, http://AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S.

Virgin Islands.