Today, Eons.com, the social networking site for adults lovin’ life on the flipside of 50, revealed the findings of its Election 2008 Boomer Poll. More than 3,300 adults over the age of 50 participated in the poll held last week that surveyed which candidates boomers would vote for if elections were held today versus six months ago. Hillary Clinton holds a clear and steady lead with 24% of boomers favoring her as the next President. The leading Republican contender is Mike Huckabee with 13%; just six months ago, Huckabee would have been the Presidential favorite among only 3% of respondents. Complete survey results for the Election 2008 Boomer Poll are available at www.eons.com/electionpoll.

Eons.com also surveyed 10,000+ boomers on the major issues to gain deeper insight into the mindset of this important voting constituency. The survey revealed that boomers favor withdrawing troops from Iraq, maintaining a pro-choice stance on abortion, and establishing universal healthcare, but are split on issues such as immigration. Complete survey results on the major issues are available at www.eons.com/politicalsurvey.

“Boomers set the precedent as the most politically active, socially conscious and involved generation in American history. With years of political knowledge behind them, the 80 million people over the age of 50 in the U.S. know what they’re talking about and are making sure their voices are still heard loud and clear — which is evident from the tremendous response to our poll,” said Eons Founder and CEO, Jeff Taylor. “Considering that nine out of 10 boomers who are registered voters are likely to vote, this demographic will have a major impact on the 2008 election results. The candidates recognize the importance of this group, which is why they have been using Eons.com as a targeted social media platform to reach them this year.”

The Presidential Election: Who Is Gaining Ground and Who Is Losing It Over Past 6 Months

According to the results from the Eons.com Election 2008 Boomer Poll, if the election were held today, boomers would vote for Hillary Clinton (24%) as the nation’s next President. Fighting for second place among boomers are Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee, each with 13% of respondents favoring them.

When asked if the election were held six months ago which candidate they would vote for, Clinton led with 27%, while Rudy Giuliani was second with 15% and Obama in third with 10%. Coming in fourth at a virtual dead heat were John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson, each of whom was selected as a Presidential favorite among 7%. Huckabee trailed the pack with 3% just six months ago.

Identifying the Issues

In the Eons.com survey of 10,000+ respondents, boomers offered their opinions on today’s hot-button issues like the war in Iraq, immigration, abortion, healthcare and the environment.

War in Iraq/National Security: Approximately 47% of boomers support withdrawing U.S. troops immediately or setting a deadline for withdrawal. Some 23% believe we should stay in Iraq to ensure stability in the region, while 14% believe U.S. troops should continue to fight al-Qaeda but stay out of Sunni-Shiite conflict.

Immigration: On immigration boomers are split. Approximately 33% of respondents want to expel all illegal immigrants while 34% support granting more worker permits and allowing undocumented aliens to work toward U.S. citizenship.

Abortion: While 77% of respondents demonstrate a pro-choice stance, most boomers (40%) are calling for more restrictions on abortions (i.e., by age, trimester) but also support keeping abortions legal. Meanwhile, 27% want to remove all restrictions, and 23% want to make all abortions illegal in most, if not all cases.

Environment: Boomers are environmentally conscious with 48% wanting to fund more research into alternative energy and 20% are calling to adopt the Kyoto Protocol immediately.

Stem Cell Research: The majority of boomers (58%) support increasing government funding for stem cell research as opposed to 17% who want to deny government funding of all stem cell research.

Healthcare: Some 46% of respondents want to create a universal health care program for all Americans and 22% want to ensure the future of Medicare in our country.

Social Security: Most boomers (63%) want to enact reforms to ensure the future of Social Security and 20% want to privatize social security investments.

Highly Engaged in the Political Race, Boomers Turn to Traditional and New Media

True to their roots as political activists, this generation is highly engaged in the political race, with a staggering 79% reporting that they are currently following the 2008 Presidential race closely or somewhat closely. Unlike with younger generations which primarily consume information through the Web and other new media, traditional media still reigns supreme with 49% of respondents turning to TV news, newspapers or news magazines and 22% claiming to use the Internet.

The Oprah Factor

Despite Oprah Winfrey’s high profile status on the Obama campaign, her image doesn’t necessarily resonate with boomers as a political force. Of several television personalities, less than 2% of boomers trust Winfrey for political news.

Eons Campaign Central

In response to its members’ desires to engage in lively discussion with each other and the candidates around the Presidential election, Eons.com created Campaign Central. This “political piazza” provides fast access to Presidential candidates’ profiles featuring bios, photos, videos, blogs and discussion boards, and encourages members to join or start their own groups for discussing politics. Campaign Central is the only 50+ voters’ gateway to the 2008 Presidential Election where boomers can meet the candidates, find out where they stand, ask questions and debate the issues. For more on Campaign Central, visit www.eons.com/election2008.

Methodology

The Eons Election 2008 Poll surveyed 3,300+ boomers in the U.S. from December 11-13, 2007, each of whom were given the opportunity to participate one time. For the complete poll results, visit www.eons.com/electionpoll. The Eons Political Issues Survey sampled the opinions of 10,000+ Eons respondents in the U.S. during the Fall of 2007. For the complete poll results, visit www.eons.com/politicalsurvey.

About Eons™

Eons, Inc. is a social networking site empowering a new generation of spirited boomers through interactive content, tools and community. Founded by Jeff Taylor, creator of Monster.com, Eons has attracted a team of renowned advisors and industry-leading partners and is backed by venture capital financing from General Catalyst Partners, Sequoia Capital, Charles River Ventures and Intel Capital, as well as Humana, Inc. It is supported by corporate founding partners Harrah’s Entertainment, Humana, Inc., Liberty Mutual Group, Fidelity and Verizon Wireless. Eons is headquartered in Charlestown Navy Yard, Boston. For more information about Eons, visit Eons.com.