THE ANES GUIDE TO PUBLIC OPINION AND ELECTORAL BEHAVIOR ______________________________________________________ Approval of Performance of Congress 1980-2004 PERCENT AMONG DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS WHO RESPONDED: 'Approve' Percent of group: '80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 Males 33 35 52 46 50 34 27 30 45 47 53 61 49 Females 35 33 54 43 53 37 29 34 46 49 51 66 44 Whites 33 35 55 45 52 33 26 29 46 49 52 66 46 Blacks 38 28 41 43 45 41 30 52 41 46 57 58 44 Grade School 33 25 44 39 45 36 37 38 30 53 51 57* 35 High School 33 29 54 45 51 40 31 36 46 48 50 65 50 Some College, no Degree 36 42 57 43 52 37 28 30 47 47 53 63 46 College Degree/ Post-grad 31 42 52 49 57 27 20 23 47 50 56 64 42 Income 0-16 Percentile 33 24 44 43 45 40 34 42 44 52 53 ** 48 Income 17-33 Percentile 32 39 49 42 50 37 28 35 46 49 47 ** 48 Income 34-67 Percentile 34 38 59 46 53 39 29 32 44 42 54 ** 44 Income 68-95 Percentile 38 38 55 49 56 32 26 27 49 53 57 ** 50 Income 96-100 Percentile 26 42 56 52 69* 25 20 28 42 51 62 ** 47 Professionals 31 40 54 46 54 30 25 25 46 48 50 ** 42 White Collar 36 39 56 47 56 38 30 31 49 51 57 ** 52 Blue Collar 34 28 52 43 48 38 29 36 43 44 51 ** 46 Unskilled 40* 44* 55* 48 40* 44 41* 48 43* 33* 48* ** 54* Farmers 28* 27* 42 51 62 42 33 34* 41* 64* 53* ** 43* Housewives 29 28 54 39 53 32 27 28 40 52 52 ** 50 Union Households 33 33 57 45 52 36 31 35 38 48 48 67 42 Non-Union Households 33 35 52 45 52 36 28 31 47 48 53 64 47 South 35 36 51 45 56 37 31 34 48 53 55 62 50 Nonsouth 33 34 54 44 50 36 27 31 44 45 51 65 45 Born 1975 or later ** ** ** ** ** ** 46* 45 67 59 60 62 52 Born 1959-1974 56 48 60 49 56 45 32 39 46 54 55 70 53 Born 1943-1958 35 36 56 45 55 35 28 27 43 49 51 62 43 Born 1927-1942 34 35 55 44 52 33 26 29 45 39 47 56 37 Born 1911-1926 29 29 43 41 46 27 21 25 43 34 45 55 39 Born 1895-1910 24 24 42 34 35 29 31 22* 39* 48* 40* 90* ** Born before 1895 30* 25* 100* 0* ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Democrats (incl leaners) 40 34 55 48 58 38 32 40 40 42 50 61 40 Independents & Apoliticals 24 27 45 35 47 34 20 26 36 42 44 54 37 Republicans (incl leaners) 29 39 53 44 47 35 26 24 55 58 58 69 57 Liberals 41 40 58 47 58 36 31 37 35 35 55 65 29 Moderates 37 40 57 47 58 40 27 35 47 48 51 66 53 Conservatives 28 34 51 42 45 30 22 24 53 56 56 63 57 * numbers followed by an asterisk indicate 50 or fewer total respondents within group ** indicates question not asked or no cases within group Table 5C.4.1 Source: The American National Election Studies NOTE: variable used for race grouping has changed. See Table 1A.3 Table generated: 27NOV05