US IT pros split between Obama and McCain

Barack Obama polled 29 per cent in a recent CompTIA survey, as did John McCain

IT workers are evenly divided in their support for presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain.

The Democratic and Republican candidates each polled 29 per cent in a recent survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) and polling firm Rasmussen Reports.

Just 13 per cent of tech workers indicated their support for Obama's Democrat rival, Senator Hillary Clinton.

The survey showed that IT professionals are increasingly important in terms of their political activity and influence, and that 27 per cent had used the internet to make contributions to a political campaign.

"They put their money where their mouth is," said Roger Cochetti, CompTIA's group director of US public policy.

"Bottom line, the IT worker voting bloc is here to stay. Attention to that bloc will not just end with the closing of the 2008 polls."

In terms of political outlook, US IT professionals view themselves as more conservative than the rest of the country's electorate.

Some 39 per cent describe themselves as 'conservative', 36 per cent as 'moderate' and 24 per cent as 'liberal'.

The economy ranked highest on their list of most important issues facing the next US president, followed by the war in Iraq, immigration and national security.