Respondents were presented with a list of possible Republican nominees for President in 1976 and asked, “As of today, which one would you like to see as the Republicans nominate in 1976?”, with the option of selecting Howard Baker, John Connally, Gerald Ford, Charles Percy, Ronald Reagan, or Nelson Rockefeller. Ford received the greatest share of support for the Republican nomination, with 22.7% of candidates selecting him. Reagan was a close second, with 21.7% of respondents wanting Republicans to nominate him. Percy was the only other prospective nominee to receive double-digit support, with 15.3% of respondents choosing him. 

Looking at the preferences amongst income groups, Ford led Reagan among those earning less than $10,000, 24.2% to 20.1%, whereas Reagan led Ford among those earning over $25,000, 24.0% to 18.7%. Percy’s support was highest at 17.0% among those earning between $10,000 and $25,000 as was Rockefellers (12.5%). Baker and Connally never break broke 8% among any income group.

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 the 1976 Presidential election, the survey asked respondents their opinions on a wide variety of topics, including the economy, inflation, tax policy, 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.