The Tarrance Group Online -- 1998 Battleground / Questionnaire

STUDY #7809
THE TARRANCE GROUP / LAKE RESEARCH
PERSONAL / CONFIDENTIAL
N=1,000 Registered "Likely" Voters

Hello, I'm _______________ of The Tarrance Group, a national survey research firm. We're talking to people long distance today about public leaders and issues facing us all. May I please speak with the youngest male in the household who is registered to vote?

B.	What is the likelihood of your voting in the upcoming November elections? Are you extremely likely, very likely, somewhat likely, or not very likely at all?

	(CONTINUE)	Extremely likely	65%
		Very likely	25%
		Somewhat likely	10%

	(THANK AND TERMINATE)	Not very likely
	(THANK AND TERMINATE)	UNSURE (DNR)

D.	On a scale of one to ten, with one meaning NOT AT ALL interested and ten meaning VERY INTERESTED, please tell me how interested you are in this year's elections? (ENTER TWO-DIGIT NUMBER: 01-10)

		Very interested	43%
		Somewhat interested	31%
		Not very interested	20%
		Not at all interested	7%

1.	Do you feel things in this country are going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track?

	IF CHOICE MADE, ASK: And do you feel strongly or somewhat strongly about that?	Right direction / strongly	21%
		Right direction / somewhat	22%
		UNSURE (DNR)	12%
		Wrong track / somewhat	13%
		Wrong track / strongly	33%

2.	What do you think is the number one problem facing this part of the country today -- that is, what is the problem that you and your family are most concerned about? (DO NOT READ RESPONSES, JUST RECORD)
	NOTE TO INTERVIEWER: After completion of interview, double-check this question for proper coding. Try to fit "Others" into a pre-existing category.

	Abortion	*	Jobs	4%
	Agriculture / farming / ranching	1%	Job training	*
	AIDS	*	Loss of industry	*
	Auto insurance	*	Medicare / Medicaid	*
	Budget deficit	*	Moral / religious concerns	13%
	Child care	*	Pensions	*
	Children's issues	1%	Politicians / incumbents	2%
	Clinton (President Bill)	6%	Pollution	*
	College / affording	*	Property taxes	*
	Congress	1%	Racism	2%
	Cost of living	1%	Republicans	*
	Crime	7%	Retirement	*
	Cuts to government programs	*	Roads / highways	*
	Deficit	*	Schools / school choice	*
	Democrats	1%	Senior citizens	1%
	Drugs	4%	Social Security	2%
	Economy	6%	Taxes	5%
	Education	7%	Tax increases	1%
	Environment	1%	Television / violence & sex	*
	Foreign affairs	1%	Tobacco	*
	Gangs	*	Trade	*
	Gingrich / Newt	*	Traffic	*
	Government / size / regulation	1%	Unemployment	1%
	Government spending	1%	Unions	*
	Growth / overdevelopment	*	Values	1%
	Guns	*	Violence	3%
	Health care (cost / quality of)	2%	Wages	*
	Health insurance (cost / lack of)	1%	Welfare (reform)	1%
	Homeless / poverty	1%	Water (shortage / quality)	*
	Housing (costs / lack of)	*	OTHER	10%
	Immigration	1%	UNSURE	7%
	Inflation	1%

Now I would like to read you a list of issues that some people from this part of the country have said are important for representatives in Washington to deal with. Please listen as I read the list and tell me which one issue you think is most important. (READ AND ROTATE ISSUES)

			Q3 MOST IMPORTANT
	Reducing taxes and the federal spending		13%
	Improving health care		8%
	Protecting the environment		4%
	Improving education		19%
	Strengthening the Social Security system		9%
	Fighting crime and drugs		12%
	Restoring moral values		22%
	COMBINATION / EQUALLY (DNR)		12%
	UNSURE (DNR)		1%

4.	Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Clinton is handling his job as President?

	IF CHOICE MADE, ASK: Would you say you strongly or somewhat (approve / disapprove)?	Approve / strongly	36%
		Approve / somewhat	20%
		UNSURE (DNR)	4%
		Disapprove / somewhat	7%
		Disapprove / strongly	34%

5.	Whether you approve or disapprove of the way Clinton is handing his job as president, what is your impression of Bill Clinton as a person? Do you approve or disapprove of him?

	IF CHOICE MADE, ASK: Would you say you strongly or somewhat (approve / disapprove)?	Approve / strongly	14%
		Approve / somewhat	12%
		UNSURE (DNR)	12%
		Disapprove / somewhat	14%
		Disapprove / strongly	48%

6.	And, do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job of dealing with important issues facing the country?

	IF CHOICE MADE, ASK: Would you say you strongly or somewhat (approve / disapprove)?	Approve / strongly	15%
		Approve / somewhat	30%
		UNSURE (DNR)	11%
		Disapprove / somewhat	20%
		Disapprove / strongly	24%

7.	And, do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job of dealing with important issues facing the country?

	IF CHOICE MADE, ASK: Would you say you strongly or somewhat (approve / disapprove)?	Approve / strongly	16%
		Approve / somewhat	32%
		UNSURE (DNR)	11%
		Disapprove / somewhat	19%
		Disapprove / strongly	22%

8.	And, do you approve or disapprove of the way your Member of Congress is handling his or her job of dealing with important issues facing the country?

	IF CHOICE MADE, ASK: Would you say you strongly or somewhat (approve / disapprove)?	Approve / strongly	30%
		Approve / somewhat	40%
		UNSURE (DNR)	12%
		Disapprove / somewhat	9%
		Disapprove / strongly	8%

A.	Are you registered to vote in your state?
	IF "NO," ASK: Is there someone else at home who is registered to vote?
	(IF "YES," THEN ASK: MAY I SPEAK WITH HIM / HER?)

		YES	(CONTINUE)
		NO	(THANK AND TERMINATE)

9.		If the election for Congress were being held today, and you had to make a choice, would you be voting for:

		(ROTATE)
		the Republican candidate;
	OR
		the Democrat candidate -- in your district?
			Republican	40%

C.	Are you, or is anyone in your household, employed with an advertising agency, newspaper, television or radio station, or political campaign?

		YES	(THANK AND TERMINATE)
		NO	(CONTINUE)