POLLSTER: FOOD POLICY WILL AFFECT MIDTERMS: “If food policy ends up playing a role in the midterm elections, it’s not likely to be spurred by hot button issues like GMO labeling or soda bans, but rising food prices,” reports Pro Agriculture reporter Helena Bottemiller Evich this morning.
“Back in 2012, during a panel at the National Food Policy Conference, in Washington, D.C., pollster Jay Campbell of Hart Research was asked if he thought food policy would play a major role in the presidential election. He responded with an unequivocal ‘No.’ And he turned out to be right.
“At the same conference on Tuesday, however, Campbell changed his tune when asked about the midterms. Inflation in the grocery store -which rose by 0.4 percent for the second month in a row in March – could end up pushing food policy onto the campaign trail this cycle, he said during keynote remarks.
“With food prices on the rise, it is entirely possible that we’re going to see these issues play a little bit more of a role this year, especially with this income inequality debate playing out – but that’s really unusual, that’s not the norm,” said Campbell, who does regular polling for CNBC with Republican pollster Bill McInturff and has worked with the Human Rights Campaign and the Pew Charitable Trusts.”
From Politico, 4/23/14