The Use of Polling in Congressional Campaigns

Abstract

This study examines successful 1974 congressional campaigns that used public opinion polling. The primary focus of the research was on where and how polling was used in the campaign and the factors that influenced its use. Polling was most common in highly competitive, well-financed races involving younger, less politically experienced candidates. Surveys were typically begun quite early in the campaign and emphasized candidate standing and determined which issues were most salient to the electorate. The way polling was used was influenced primarily by party affiliation, the hiring of a professional pollster, and campaign expenditures. Eugene Declercq is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Bryant College. The author wishes to thank Renee Montgelas for her help in the processing of this data, and the School of Public and International Affairs and the Computer Center at George Washington University for their support. Public Opinion Quarterly ? 1978 by The Trustees of Columbia University Published by Elsevier North-Holland, Inc. 0033-362X/78/0042-0247/$1.75 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.208 on Fri, 14 Oct 2016 04:05:29 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms