Abstract
This paper examines the influence of age-related media coverage of political figures on entrepreneurship among older adults, particularly in the context of the 2024 US Presidential Election. Utilizing a novel approach that bridges entrepreneurship, politics, and identity theories, we propose and test two mechanisms through which the salience of age affects older adults' entrepreneurial activities: performance effects and evaluative bias. Through a pair of pre-registered online priming experiments, we aim to demonstrate that media coverage highlighting the advanced age and cognitive decline of political candidates—specifically Joe Biden and Donald Trump—negatively impacts older adults' performance in entrepreneurial tasks and biases external evaluations of ventures led by older entrepreneurs. Findings from these studies will contribute to the entrepreneurship literature by highlighting an identity-based mechanism through which the political environment influences entrepreneurship and by underscoring the complex relationship between age and entrepreneurial activity. This research not only advances theoretical understanding but also offers practical insights for older entrepreneurs, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to foster a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.