The ANES Guide to Public Opinion and Electoral Behavior

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Approval of Performance of Congress 1980-2008
PERCENT AMONG DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS WHO RESPONDED :      'Disapprove'


  % OF GROUP: '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Males 57 55 42 45 42 61 68 64 48 47 39 37 42 69
Females 41 45 29 32 28 50 59 57 46 40 29 31 38 58
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Whites 50 49 35 38 36 58 66 64 47 44 35 32 40 65
Blacks 31 54 36 39 30 47 56 38 51 47 29 41 43 60
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Grade Sch./Some High Sch. 35 47 28 26 26 41 41 50 57 26 38 34 40 51
High School Diploma 46 50 33 35 32 50 57 54 46 42 33 33 36 60
Some College, no Degree 51 48 35 42 38 58 68 64 47 46 32 34 39 61
College Degree/ Post-grad 60 51 43 44 39 70 77 72 47 46 33 34 47 70
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Income 0-16 Percentile 38 48 32 31 30 43 51 48 47 36 31 ** 40 54
Income 17-33 Percentile 51 44 35 35 32 54 59 56 46 37 38 ** 35 57
Income 34-67 Percentile 49 51 34 41 35 54 66 61 48 50 31 ** 43 63
Income 68-95 Percentile 49 52 38 38 36 64 70 67 44 41 34 ** 39 70
Income 96-100 Percentile 59 48 42 42 27 67 77 72 53 47 29 ** 44 71
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Professionals 60 52 42 45 38 65 70 72 48 46 37 ** 48 **
White Collar 42 43 33 35 33 54 64 60 41 45 26 ** 34 **
Blue Collar 46 52 34 37 34 51 60 55 48 46 37 ** 37 **
Unskilled 35 41 36 36 31 46 55 44 51 45 44 ** 45 **
Farmers 52 50 38 39 31 46 54 54 53 17 35 ** 50 **
Housewives 41 48 26 31 27 53 61 59 49 33 25 ** 29 **
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Union Households 48 54 33 40 33 57 63 59 57 43 34 31 42 70
Non-Union Households 48 48 35 37 34 54 63 61 44 43 33 34 40 62
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
South 49 48 35 37 29 52 58 57 44 37 32 35 39 62
Nonsouth 48 50 35 38 36 56 66 62 48 47 34 33 40 63
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Born 1991 or later ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** 53
Born 1975-1990 ** ** ** ** ** ** 46 42 24 26 20 35 34 62
Born 1959-1974 25 33 26 28 27 45 59 51 44 38 29 27 34 69
Born 1943-1958 46 50 34 39 32 58 65 67 52 46 36 37 44 73
Born 1927-1942 52 51 36 44 36 59 66 67 48 52 43 42 51 62
Born 1911-1926 53 54 42 40 43 64 67 63 50 54 41 38 41 **
Born 1895-1910 53 48 38 33 38 41 52 65 45 52 19 0 ** **
Born before 1895 40 50 0 0 ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Democrats (incl leaners) 42 50 33 37 29 54 60 52 52 50 36 38 46 58
Independents 46 43 30 33 27 41 61 58 50 35 34 40 47 55
Republicans (incl leaners) 58 51 39 41 42 60 68 70 38 38 29 29 32 73
  '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '08
Liberals 46 48 35 39 31 59 62 57 59 58 31 33 56 60
Moderates 49 49 34 39 30 54 67 59 46 45 35 32 38 64
Conservatives 61 58 43 45 46 67 72 72 40 40 34 35 35 74

    ___   (underline) indicates 50 or fewer total respondents within group
    **     indicates question not asked or no cases within group
          2008 NOTE: open-ended coding of occupation is not yet complete.
....................

Table 5C.4.2
Source: The American National Election Studies
Link to the ASCII text version of this table
NOTE: variable used for race grouping has changed. See Table 1A.3

(Table generated: 05AUG10)