RUTGERS. Senatorial. With less than three weeks to go until the June 6. primary election the candidates remain largely unknown to the voters.

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1 FOR RELEASE: FRIDAY MAY 19, 1978 RUTGERS CONTACT: STEPHEN SALMO):W THE STATE UNIVERSITY OFNEWJERSEY RELEASE: 32 1 THE EAGLETON INSTITUTE OF POLITICS WOOD LAWN.NEI LSON CAMPUS.NEW BRUNSWICK.NEW JERSEY / THE SENATE PRIMARY: CANDIDATES NOT WELL KNOWN With less than three weeks to go until the June 6 Senatorial primary election the candidates remain largely unknown to the voters. The latest Eagleton Poll, conducted between May 7 and May 16, found that the overwhelming majority of New Jersey residents could not name any of the primary candidates. When asked if they could recal1 the names of any candidates for the Democratic nomination in the race for Senate, 12 percent of those polled named Bill Bradley, seven percent named Dick Leone, four percent xnentiond Alex Menza and one percent named Wes Bell. Those who said they had previously voted in a Democratic primary election did somewhat better. Twenty percent of this group named Bradley, 12 percent Leone, and six percent mentioned Menza. On the Republican side, Where incumbent Senator Clifford Case is running against Jeffrey Bell, the Rutgers based poll found that 18 percent named Case as a Republican candidate in the primary and only three percent mentioned Bell. Thirty percent of those who have a history of voting in Republican primaries were able to name Case while six percent mentioned Bell. Eagleton also asked a second type of question to gauge the pubiics familiarity with each of the candidates. Stephen Salmore, Director of the Poll explained, A second set of questions was aksed to get at recog nition of the candidates. Respondents were read a list of names and asked if they had heard anything about them. This is an easier question, as people may not be able to recall a candidate s name but they may have more Attention Radio Stations: Audio is available on 5/19/78 after 4:30 p.m. from Feature Phone) (Rutgers

2 that number 33 percent--recognized Leone and only 19 percent said they C. recognize Bell. C) Those most likely to vote in the Democratic primary were asked more NJP32-l Page 2 some familiarity with him when reminded. Salnore further explained, 0 Those who recognized a candidate were also asked if they knew anything about the candidate and responses were cilassified as being either political or non-political in nature. While 50 percent of those polled recognized Bin Bradley s name, only 25 percent knew of him as a political figure. The other 25 percent, while recognizing Bradley s name did not think of him in political terms. Former state Treasurer Richard Leone was recognized by 27 percent with 16 percent identifying him as a political figure. sixteen percent recognized former State Senator Alex Menza s name with 8 percent linking him to politics. Recognition of these three Democratic candidates was higher among those who said they had previously voted in Democratic pri maries, Sixty percent of this group recognized Bradley while about half recognized Menza. Clifford Case, A New Jersey Senator for almost a quarter of a century, was recognized by 76 percent. Fifty-eight percent knew that he was a political figure with 49 percent correctly identifying him as a Senator or Senatorial candidate. Jeffrey Bell, Case s Republican pri mary opponent, was recognized by 15 percent, with only 7 percent identifyi4, him as a political figure. Almost all of those who report having voted in a Republican pri mary recognized Case only 8 percent did not recognize his name. However, over three quarters -78 percent--of Republican primary voters did not

3 Bell. Case,recognition of all candidates is low, and the intense campaigning in the last two weeks of the campaign may have ma:jor effects. Paticularly 30 Copyright, The Eagleton Institute, 1978 make the best Senator. While most felt unable to answer either question, and especially the television advertising planned by some of the candidates NJP32-l Page 3 (which of the Democratic candidates was most experienced and which would 23 percent said Leone was the most experienced, 8 percent chose Bradley and 6 percent said Menza. However, 16 percent said thae Bradley would make a better Senator, 12 percent favored Leone while only 3 percent named Menza. Likely Republican primary voters thought that Case was more ex perienced than Bell by an overwhelming 79 to 2 percent margin. However, when asked which of the two would make a better Senator, aln!ost half-- 49 percent -were undecided, 43 percent chose Case and 8 percent favored In assessing. the findings Salmore comnented, In terms of recog nition Bradley and Case enjoy substantial advantages over their opponents. Salmore cautioned, however, that while recognition is undoubtedly an L advantage, it does not automatically translate into votes. Except for in the Democratic, the campaign is far from over. The Eagleton Poll is conducted regularly throughout the year by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. The latest Poll was conducted between May 7 and May 16, when a scientifically selected random sample of 1007 adults, 18 years and older, were interviewed by telephone.

4 RUTGERS 0 THE STATE UNVLSFY OF NEW JERSEY THE EAGLETON 1NSTJTUT OF POL;TcS in the race for Senate? in the paste Can you name any of the Republican candidates in the election for Senator? WOOD LAWN.NEI LSON CAMPUSNEW 8RUNSWCK.NEW JERSE / BACKGROUND MEMO-RELEASE 32-1, FRIDAY, MAY 19, 1978 The questions referred to in this release are as foi:1ow: Can you recall the names of any candidates for Democratic nomination Percent Who Mentioned Bill Bradley Dick Leone Alex_Nenza Wes Bell Total ample 12% 7% 4% 1% *Democratjc Primary Voters Registered Voters 10 4 Democrats Independents Republicans *Those individuals who said they had voted in a Democratic party primary Percent Who Mentioned Clifford_Case Jeff Bell Total Sample 18% 3% Republican Primary Voters 30 6 Registered Voters 24 4 Democrats 1$ 2 Independents 18 3 Republicans 22 4

5 Bill Bradley Dick Leone No Yes No Yes Senator Other Non Senator Other Non Sen. Cand. Political Political Sen. Cand. Political Political Alex Menza No Yes Senator Other Non Sen. Cand. Political Political Jeff Bell Clifford Case - No Yes No Senator Other Non- Senator Other Non- Sen. Cand. Political Political Sen._Cand. Political Political n NJP32-l -2- Now I would like to read you a short list of names. Would you please tell me whether or not you have heard about each? IF YES: What comes to mind about him? Total 50% % Den. Primary Voters 40% % Regis. Voters 47% % 1] DemocratS 51% % Independents 46% % Republicans 49% % Total 83% 4 Dam. Primary Voters 80% Regis. Voters 81% Democrats 83% Independents 82% Republicans 85% Total 85% % 9 18 Reo. Primary Voters 78% % Regis. Voters 84% % Democrats 86% % 47 9 l7 Independents 85% % Republicans 83% %

6 NJP32-1 The following questions were only aske3 of respondents who recognized - at least one Democratic primary candidate: Three of the candidates running in that. primary are Dick Leone; Alex Menza; and Bill Bradley. Which one of these three wou]d you say is more experienced; or aren t you familiar enough. with them to say? Leone BradleZ Menza Dont Know Total Sample 17% 7% 6% 70% Democratic Primary Voters Registered Voters Democrats Independents Which one, Menza, Leone or Bradley do you think would make a better U.S. Senator, or aren t you sure? Leone BradleX Menza Don t Know Democratic Primary Voters Registered Voters Democrats Independents The following questions were only asked of respondents who recognized at least one Republican primary candidate: Now turning to the Republican primary. Two of the candidates running are Jeffrey Bell and Clifford Case. Which one, Bell or Case do you think is more experienced, or can t you say? Case Bell Don t Know Total Sample 68% 1% 31% Republican Primary Voters Registered Voters Republicans Independents Finally, which candidate Case or Bell do you think would make a better U.S. Senator; or aren t you sure? Case Bell Don t Know Total Sample 35% 7% 57% Republican Primary Voters Registered Voters Republicans Independents Total Sample 8% 17% 2% 74%