Small-Business Votes Up For Grabs In 2012 Election: Survey Says

Conventional wisdom has it that an overwhelming majority of small-business owners support the Republican party, both with their votes and their donations. But a new survey from Bizo and Vizu (both provide online marketing services to businesses) indicates that is no longer the case (if it ever really were).

The companies measured the general business audience, as well as small-business executives, and found that entrepreneurs were 27 percent more likely than big-business execs to donate to political causes.

Yes, more small-business folks affiliate with the Republicans (36 percent) than with the Democrats (24 percent), but the difference is not as large as people often think. Given entrepreneurs' independent nature, perhaps it's not surprising that most small-business execs (40 percent) claim to have no party affiliation (compared to 31 percent of their big-business counterparts). When it comes to big businesses, nearly the same number say they are Republicans (35 percent), as are Democrats (34 percent).