I think the jury is still out. If polls are to be believed, and they certainly are the gospel of the campaign trail, this year's candidates cannot afford to ignore education. Eighty-eight percent of the 1,200 respondents said schools were the most important factor or one of many important factors. Taxes and Social Security followed. If the economy were on the skids, that would be at the top of the charts.
Education is the issue that fills the void.
The way candidates fill that void is another matter. Many, it seems, are simply looking to convince voters that education matters to them. With so many politicians talking about education, it's sometimes hard to tell one candidate from the next. And then there is Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat running for the U.S. Senate. In one of her television spots, she is shown listening to teachers in a classroom as they complain about working conditions.