• by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, November 27, 2015

As discussed previously in this column, polls have proved to be relatively inaccurate. Research shows that there is a better way to assess a candidate’s chance of winning a party’s nomination: endorsements from current governors, U.S. representatives and U.S. senators, also known as the “invisible primary.”

The majority of representatives in congress and most governors, insofar far as Republican go, have yet to pledge their support for any candidate. Jeb Bush, however, has garnered the most support among them.

In the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton is way ahead in the endorsements contest. Hillary Clinton has just about an unbeatabl lead when it comes to endorsements. Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley have two and one endorsements from house representatives, respectively. Clinton has hundreds, in addition to endorsements from senators and more than 10 governors.

The Republican endorsement primary, conversely, reflects the large and fractured field.

Jeb Bush tops the list with 26 endorsements from house reps and three from senators. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz each have a healthy number of house members on their side, but Rubio has the advantage with three Senate endorsements.

The only Republicans to have bagged gubernatorial endorsements are John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, who both have one, and Chris Christie, who has two.

Some have questioned, though, whether Congressional representatives and governors hold as much sway as they have in the past.

The advent of social media and huge increases in political spending has shifted the the agency to promote one’s opinion to the private individual, away from centers of legislative and executive power. Trump is a great example here, as he tops the polls, but is nonexistent in the endorsement primary.