Dilbert author Scott Adams commissioned a survey of 500 economists, asking them which candidate they prefer on a variety of issues. The results are … not very interesting.

Short story: economists prefer Obama. Medium story: Democratic economists prefer Obama, Republican economists prefer McCain, and independents swing Obama (46-39 percent).

Help Grist raise $25,000 by September 30 to further advance our climate reporting

Breakdown of the 500, drawn from the nonpartisan American Economic Association:

48% Democrats
17% Republicans
27% Independents
3% Libertarian
5% Other or not registered

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How

86% of the economists surveyed are male, and 65% work in the field of academia or education. The rest are spread across various industries or not working.

On the issues beloved of Grist readers (O=Obama, M=McCain, ND=no difference):

Energy: O-61 percent, M-22 percent, ND-17 percent

Encouraging Technology/innovation: O-43 percent, M-23 percent, ND-34 percent

Grist thanks its sponsors. Become one.

To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist. Here's How

Environmental policy: O-72 percent, M-9 percent, ND-19 percent

Lessons I draw from this:

  1. Most economists are Democrats. Hm.
  2. Economists have no secret magical reality-decoder ring; they vote their party preferences like everyone else.
  3. I’ll blog any ol’ thing.