The Harris Survey

For release: Monday All, January 12, 1987 1987 # 2 ISSN 0273-1037

FRONT-RUNNER GARY HART'S SUPPORT IS THIN

By Louis Harris Gary Hart is far and away the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for president in 1988. Be runs well ahead of Vice President George Bush, and yet he is far less appealing to the American people than he was in 1984. This strange combination in turn indicates just how weak a candidate Bush is and also portends qUite a wide open contest in both parties for the nominations next year. At last count, Hart, the former Senator who chose not to run for reelection in order to spend full time campaigning for the White House, was the first choice of 31 percent of all Democratic and independent voters, followed by Governor of at 19 percent and Senator Bill Bradley at 9 percent, according to the October 29th to November 1st Harris Survey, taken by telephone among 731 Democratic and independent voters. This is a good though not commanding lead for Hart. At the same time, Hart is leading Vice President Bush by 50-42 percent among a cross section of 909 likely voters, interviewed by the Harris Survey by telephone between November 21st and 24th. Significantly, Hart is ahead of Bush in the East by 52-40 percent, in the Midwest by 52-37 percent, and in the West by 53-37 percent, although he trails the Vice President by 50-46 percent in the South. Translated into electoral college votes, this would mean a relatively easy Hart victory over Bush. Despite all this heartening news for Gary Hart, when people are asked about him in detail, he does not score nearly as well as his front-runner status would indicate, according to the latest Harris Survey of 1,250 adults, taken by telephone between November 26th and December 2nd: By only a bare 39-38 percent, a plurality holds the view that he "has an attractive, forceful personality, and is a real leader." This is usually a reliable indicator of the basic voter set on a candidate. Back in 1984, a highly positive 57-29 percent majority felt that Hart had these attributes. Therefore, since the '84 campaign, Hart has declined by 18 points in the number of voters who share this basic confidence about him, hardly a reassuring sign. Perhaps even more serious for Hart is the fact that when asked directly if they feel more positive than negative or more negative than positive about Gary Hart, a 44-41 percent plurality of the national cross section feels more negative than positive. Basically, the best that can be said on an overall basis is that Hart splits the electorate down the middle, indicating that if people voted pro or con on him alone, they would split roughly 50-50. Thus, the fact that he runs ahead of Bush means that the Vice President loses that pairing more than Hart wins it. -- A 57-26 percent majority feels that Hart was "disappointing when he ran in 1984 and lost the Democratic nomination to Mondale." A significant 55-29 percent majority of Democrats share this view.

-- By 48-30 percent, a clear plurality is convinced that Gary Hart "is too cool and lacking in commitment to get me excited by him." -- By a narrow 37-34 percent, a plurality goes along with the charge that Hart "seems to make too many mistakes and changes his stands too much to be trusted to be president." Back in 1984, a 47-34 percent plurality rejected this charge against the former Colorado Senator. -- By 57-23 percent, a majority also adheres to the view that "he says he's different from the others, but what he says doesn't sound very new or original to me.· Back in 1984, a slightly larger 62-26 percent majority shared this same view of Hart. (over) THE HARRIS SURVEY -2- January 12, 1987

On three items, Hart comes off with positive reactions from the voters themselves:

-- By 50-27 percent, a sizable plurality believes that "he isn't tied to all the entrenched power interests and is a young, new, vigorous voice in politics." Two years ago, an even larger 64-22 percent majority felt this way about Gary Hart. -- By 43-37 percent, a plurality nationwide believes that Hart "should have been the Democratic nominee for president in 1984 and deserves a chance to get that nomination in 1988." A higher 48-35 percent plurality of Democrats feels this way.

-- Finally, by 45-38 percent, a plurality nationwide is also convinced that Hart "gained the experience in the U.S. Senate, and it is right for him to concentrate full-time on running for president in 1988."

All in all, these results add up to a rather pale and not robust public profile of Gary Hart. It is not so much that he stirs up deep resentment or d i s l ike. But, instead, he seems incapable of arousing much deep and positive sentiment. Basically, he emerges as a kind of residual candidate who does relatively well when pai red against George Bush or other Democratic contenders for the nomination, but also does not evoke solid and unswerving support.

Of course, Gary Hart has not officially undertaken his campaign and has not commanded the front and center attention usually accorded other front-runners. In 1984, he emerged from obscurity and caught fire. The reaction to him back then was exciting and dramatic. Whether Gary Hart can reignite that sense of discovery again is probably the acid test of his presidential quest for 1988.

TABLES

Between November 26th and December 2nd, the Harris Survey asked a nationwide cross section of 1,250 adults by telephone:

PROFILE OF GARY HART

"Now let me ask you some statements that have been made about Senator Gary Hart of Colorado. For each, tell me of you tend to agree or disagree."

Agree Disagree Not Sure % % %

POSITIVE STATEMENTS

He isn't attached to all the entrenched power interests and is a young, new, vigorous voice in politics TOTAL 50 27 23 Democrats 57 23 20

He gained the experience in the U.S. Senate, and it is right for him to concentrate full-time on running for president in 1988 TOTAL 45 38 17 Democrats 51 36 13

He should have been the Democratic nominee for president in 1984 and deserves a chance to get that nomination in 1988 TOTAL 43 37 20 Democrats 48 35 17

He has an attractive, forceful personality, and is a real leader TOTAL 39 38 23 Democrats 45 34 21

(continued) THE HARRIS SURVEY -3- January 12, 1987

PROFILE OF GARY HART (cont'd) Agree Disagree Not Sure % % % NEGATIVE STATEMENTS He says he's different from the others running for president, but what he says doesn't sound very new or original to me TOTAL 57 23 20 Democrats 54 27 19 He was disappointing when he ran in 1984 and lost the Democratic nomination to Mondale TOTAL 57 26 17 Democrats 55 29 16 Somehow, he is too cool and lacking in commitment to get me excited by him TOTAL 48 30 22 Democrats 44 36 20 He seems to make too many mistakes and changes his stands too much to be trusted to be president TOTAL 37 34 29 Democrats 35 39 26 "All in all, do you feel more positive than negative or more negative than positive about Gary Hart as a prospective candidate for president in 1988?" FEELINGS ABOUT GARY HART AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

More positive than negative 41 More negative than positive 44 Not sure 15 Between November 21st and 24th, the Harris Survey asked a nationwide cross section of 909 voters by telephone:

"Now suppose in the 1988 presidential election, it is between Vice President George Bush for the Republicans and Senator Gary Hart for the Democrats. If you had to choose, would you vote for Bush or for Hart?" PREFERENCE FOR HART OR BUSH IN 1988

Bush 42 Hart 50 Not sure 8 Between October 29th and November 1st, the Harris Survey asked a nationwide cross section of 731 Democratic and independent voters by telephone: "Now let me read you the names of some people who have been ment ioned as possible Democratic candidates for president in 1988. If you had to choose who would be your first choice from that list?"

(over) THE HARRIS SURVEY -4- January 12, 1987

PREFERENCE FOR 1988 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION

Senator Gary Hart of Colorado 31 Governor Mario Cuomo of New York 19 Senator Bill Bradley of 9 Governor Charles Robb of Virginia 4 Senator Sam Nunn of 3 Senator of 3 Governor of Massachusetts 2 Senator Dale Bumpers of Arkansas 2 Governor of Arizona 1 Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware 1 Governor James Blanchard of Michigan 1 Representative Richard Gephardt of Missouri 1 None 7 Not sure 16

MET HOD 0 LOG Y

These Harris Surveys were conducted by telephone within the between October 29th and November 1st, among a cross section of 731 Democrats and independent voters nationwide, between November 21st and 24th, among 909 voters nationwide and between November 26th and December 2nd, among 1,250 adults nationwide. Figures for age, sex, race and education were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. In samples of these sizes, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3.7, 3.3 and 2.8 percentage points respectively of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled. This statement conforms to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

861105, 8a 861 211, 4c-d 861106, 6a,b

(c) 1986 Tribune Media Services, Inc. 64 East Concord St., Orlando, FL 32801