What's The Price Of Political Loyalty?

Ever wondered what the price of political loyalty really is?

In the heat of election season, we surveyed over 2,000 people to find out if $1,000 could get them to flip sides in the Presidential race and wear a t-shirt and hat supporting the other candidate - in person or online.

Here’s what we discovered.

Key Findings

1. Wearing Opponent Merch Publicly: 36% of respondents wouldn’t accept $1,000 to wear a t-shirt and hat for the Presidential candidate they don’t support, even for just one day. 45% declined $1,000 to update their social media profile picture for a week to show themselves wearing gear supporting the candidate they oppose.
2. Strong Supporters’ Divide: While 76% of strong Trump supporters would take $1,000 to wear Harris merch for a day, only 38% of strong Harris supporters would accept the same deal to sport Trump gear.
3. Generational Gaps: Less than half of those over 60 years old would take $1,000 to wear the opposing candidate’s merchandise for a day, significantly lower than the 67% average across other age groups.
4. Gender Split: 72% of men said they’d accept the $1,000 offer to wear the other candidate’s merch, while only 50% of women would do the same.
5. Income Impact: Low-income earners were surprisingly less likely to accept the $1,000 to switch sides and wear gear for the Presidential candidate they didn’t support compared with high-income earners.

Cash vs Conviction

With the election around the corner, it’s tough to drive more than a few blocks without seeing a sign supporting someone’s preferred candidate in the upcoming Presidential election.

Given the passionate, deeply held opinions about who should lead, we wanted to see if $1,000 could sway someone to wear a t-shirt and hat for the candidate they don’t support.

64% of respondents said they would take the cash, while 36% stood their ground and declined the offer.

Curious about how attitudes might shift online, we asked whether respondents would update their social media profile picture for a week, showing themselves in gear for the candidate they don’t support, for $1,000.

The results narrowed from the first question, with 55% saying they’d take the offer and 45% reporting that they would pass.

It seems that respondents are more protective of their online image as they were less inclined to take the deal compared with the first question.

Trump vs Harris Supporters

Breaking down the results by candidate preference revealed a striking divide.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Trump supporters said they’d be willing to wear Harris merch for a day in exchange for $1,000. Yet, just over half (53%) of Harris supporters would agree to the same deal and wear Trump gear.

The gap widened even further when it came to updating social media profiles.

Just 37% of Harris supporters were willing to change their profile pictures for $1,000, while 66% of Trump supporters said they’d take the money.

It’s clear that what happens online carries significant weight when it comes to political loyalty for Harris supporters.

Strength of Support

One of the most interesting aspects of the results emerged when we examined the strength of respondents' support for their chosen candidate.

Strong Trump supporters, lean Trump supporters, and lean Harris supporters had similar responses, with 68% to 76% willing to take $1,000 in exchange for wearing the other candidate’s merch.

However, strong Harris supporters were an outlier, with only 38% open to taking the money.

When it came to updating social media profile pictures for $1,000, the gap between strong Trump and strong Harris supporters widened further.

While 73% of strong Trump supporters were open to the deal, just 26% of strong Harris supporters said yes.

Generational Gaps

Age wasn’t a factor for most of our respondents with our first question, except for those in the over-60s bracket.

Less than half (49%) of respondents over 60 were willing to wear the opposing candidate’s merchandise for $1,000, while younger participants were much more open-minded, with an average acceptance rate of 66%.

This dynamic changed when we asked about their willingness to update their social media profile picture.

Younger respondents were less likely to take the cash compared to the first question with 47% reporting that they’d accept the deal.

Gender Split

Cash is king, but it doesn't seem to have the same impact on men and women.

Men were far more likely to be swayed by the $1,000 offer, with 72% reporting to be willing to swap out their wardrobe for the candidate they don’t support, compared to only 50% of women.

When it came to updating their social media profile images, the take rate for both genders decreased.

Women seem to be far more protective of their social media presence, with only 39% willing to accept $1,000 to update their profile pictures compared to 66% of men.

Regional Loyalty

Geography also played a role in the survey results.

Respondents from the Northeast were most likely to take the $1,000 to put on a t-shirt and hat for their least preferred candidate, while Midwesterners were the least likely to accept the deal.

The acceptance rate to update their social media profile picture for $1,000 for folks in the Midwest dropped to 28%, compared to 42% with the first question.

Income Impact

One of the most surprising findings was that high-income earners were more likely to take the cash than lower-income respondents.

73% of those making more than $100k said they’d ditch their political loyalty for a day if $1,000 were on the table.

Surprisingly, the lower-income respondents were far less tempted. Among those earning $0–$49,999, only 44% would take the deal.

High-income earners were also much more likely to update their social media picture for $1,000.

Conclusion

Our survey reveals just how complex and varied political loyalty can be. From strong party supporters to those on the fence, many seem to have a “price” for temporarily switching sides.

Whether it’s age, gender, or income, the factors influencing political decisions are diverse, but one thing’s clear: loyalty isn’t always priceless. As the election approaches, even the most dedicated supporters may have a tipping point, and sometimes, $1,000 is all it takes to make waves.

Methodology

The survey was conducted on October 7, 2024 by SurveyMonkey with a sample size of 2,195 American adults, 18 years and older. The survey had a margin of error of +/- 2%.

RushOrderTees are a leading custom apparel and promotional products brand, offering custom t-shirts and other apparel. With over 20 years' experience, RushOrderTees have provided sports team attire, trade show merch, company uniforms, family reunion apparel and more.