Are Gaffes Enough to Impact an Election?

It's the unsung tradition of the campaign trail—as incumbents and challengers hit the road leading up to the big day in November, Americans keep track of every blooper and faux pas.

And sometimes, a politician's indiscretion dominates the news cycle—even when wars and a sluggish economy are in the headlines, too.

We've already had a handful of questionable moments so far: Obama telling small business owners, "you didn't build that," or Romney noting 47-percent of Americans "are dependent upon government, [and] believe they are victims."

But Patch wants to know: are these slip-ups enough to impact an election? Or do voters focus on the nuts and bolts of policy before pulling the lever?

Tell us in the comments.

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