Data restored from a 1974 survey of among Iowans indicates that Edward Kennedy emerged as the most favored Democratic candidate for 1976. The results also suggest differences in candidate support based on respondents’ education levels. The data comes from Iowa Poll #213, a random sample survey of 601 Iowans from July 1974, which has been restored as part of a larger IPOL project to recover lost data from past Iowa polls. 

Respondents were offered a list of Democrats “who have been mentioned as possible nominees for President in 1976” and asked “as of today, which one would you like to see the Democrats nominate in 1976?” 31.3% of respondents favored Kennedy, followed by George Wallace at 19.2%, Edmund Muskie at 8.8%, and Henry Jackson at 8%. Notably, 16.8% of respondents reported being unsure about their choice. 

Candidate preferences varied by respondent education. Wallace had a slight lead over Kennedy, 26.3% to 23.2%, among those with less than a high school education, while Kennedy did best among those with a high school diploma or some college with 37.3% of respondents supporting him. Meanwhile, Muskie and Jackson saw their support rise among this group, suggesting differing political leanings based on educational attainment.

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.