In my time among the econ I thought there was asymmetric pressure in that it is ok to go forth and spew right wing horseshit with impunity but suggesting that maybe raising the minimum wage a tad isn't such a bad idea would be frowned upon.
...adding, in my experience, academic economists tended to be what you could call Slate Democrats. Not especially liberal, especially on economic issues, and a bit enamored with contrarianism, but they still tended to actually care about grappling seriously with policy issues, something Republicans just don't do.
