VAR CF0991 APPROVE RUNNING HOUSE INCUMBENT

VAR CF0991    APPROVE RUNNING HOUSE INCUMBENT
              COLUMNS 833-833
              NUMERIC
              MD EQ 0 OR GE 9


        In general, do you approve or disapprove of the way <running U.S.
        House incumbent Representative> has been handling his/her job?
        -------------------------------------------------------------------

        USE WEIGHT VARIABLE VCF0009/VCF0009A/VCF0009B.

        The 1982 dataset included 2 sets of approval vars for 2 running
        incumbents due to redistricting in two congressional districts (19
        cases affected).  For this year, the incumbent who represented R's
        sampling location BEFORE the 1982 redistricting has been considered
        R's 'incumbent' for Cumulative Data File definition.  The other
        candidate, the incumbent previously representing another Congressional
        district (i.e., not previously representing the district of R's sample
        location) has been considered the 'challenger' to the running
        incumbent.  See notes VCF0902 describing congressional districts
        affected and designation of candidates as "the incumbent" and "the
        challenger" in these cases.

        Note that for 1992 redistricted LA06 (2 Republican 'incumbents'
        neither of whom had previously represented the geographic area)
        this variable has been coded INAP 0.

        If the U.S. House representative in R's district was NOT running
        for re-election (i.e., is 'retiring'), then this question does not
        apply.

        Running incumbent's name from election held during year of IW was
        given.

        For 1984:  if R is in a district where no incumbent was running or
        where the incumbent was unopposed (or opposed by a non-major party
        challenger) BUT the interview administered was a telephone IW, then
        VCF0991 has been coded 9, not 0.

            1.   Approve
            5.   Disapprove
            8.   DK

            9.   NA; INAP, no post IW (1980,1984,1988,1992,1996,2000); abbrev.
                 telephone IW (1984); short form (1992); question not used
            0.   No running incumbent (includes Washington D.C.)

        1980:  972       1982:  212,249,266    1984:  967
        1986:  353       1988:  789            1990:  58,404
        1992:  5710      1994:  637            1996:  961123
        1998:  980326    2000:  001358


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