Iowa Poll results from 1974, conducted by the Des Moines Register, measured Iowans’ approval or disapproval of Congress’s performance during a time of political uncertainty and public distrust in government institutions. The results, recently restored as part of IPOL’s work to recover lost data from past Iowa polls, show broad dissatisfaction with Congress, especially among men.

In July 1974, 601 Iowans were asked “Do you approve or disapprove of the way the U.S. Congress is handling its job in Washington?” Overall, 48.3% disapproved compared to 32.9% who approved. 18.9% had no opinion. Comparing the results by respondent sex highlights a significant gender gap, with 53.9% of men expressed disapproval compared to 43.2% of women. While approval remained low among both groups—31.6% for men and 34.1% for women—women were notably more likely to express no opinion on the matter, with 22.7% selecting this option compared to just 14.5% of men. Ultimately, the poll highlights a general lack of confidence in Congress during this period, reinforcing the broader theme of public discontent with government leadership in the mid-1970s.

Iowa Poll #213, conducted by the Des Moines Register, was administered to a random sample of Iowans in July 1974. In addition to the questions about Congressional approval, the survey asked respondents their opinions on a wide variety of topics, including the economy, inflation, tax policy, Nixon, and Watergate. Understanding Iowans’ past opinions on these topics can help us understand how perspectives have changed and what ideas have remained popular. IPOL has also been working with UI Libraries and the Des Moines Register to restore data from dozens of Iowa Polls from the 1960s to early 1980s. More information about the project can be found here. We are working to release a full report on our findings as we analyze additional questions.