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THE TARRANCE GROUP

www.tarrance.com

MEMORANDUM

TO: FROM: AMERICAN ACTION NETWORK DAVE SACKETT NICHOLAS THOMPSON KEY FINDINGS FROM A SURVEY OF VOTER ATTITUDES IN IOWAS FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT JULY 24, 2013

RE:

DATE:

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The Tarrance Group is pleased to present American Action Network with the key findings from a survey of voter attitudes of likely registered voters in the Fourth Congressional District of Iowa. These key findings are based on telephone interviews with N=300 likely registered voters throughout the district. Responses to this survey were gathered June 24-27, 2013 and the margin of error associated with a sample of this type is + 5.8% in 95 out of 100 cases.
The American Action Network is a 501(c)(4) action tank dedicated to creating, encouraging and promoting centerright policies based on the principles of freedom, limited government, American exceptionalism, and strong national security. One of the Networks current initiatives is supporting conservative solutions to immigration reform. The American Action Network believes our current immigration system is broken and the US Congress should offer conservative legislative solutions to address this critical national challenge. The Network commissioned the accompanying poll which demonstrates public support for that position.

OVERVIEW As is the case throughout the country, Iowa CD 4 voters place a high level of importance on the issue of immigration reform; with three quarters (74%) indicating they believe this is a very important issue. Seven in ten district voters (69%) indicate that they favor or support generic comprehensive immigration reform and only 17% are opposed. Over two-thirds of Republicans (67%) are in favor of generic comprehensive immigration reform. There is significant support for both pathway options an earned pathway to legal status without citizenship (68% favor) and an earned pathway to citizenship (65% favor). Seventy percent (70%) of district Republicans indicate that they favor an earned pathway to legal status, and 51% of Republicans favor an earned pathway to citizenship.

The Tarrance Group AAN Iowa CD 4 (June, 2013)

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 Respondents were presented with the following reform proposal, and were told it would only be implemented after steps have been taken to secure the border:
allowing undocumented immigrants the opportunity to earn legal status if they pass a criminal background check, pay a fine, pay current and back taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line in the application process, and are not allowed to receive any taxpayer paid benefits.

Reaction to the detailed specific proposal is strongly positive, with seventy-nine percent (79%) indicating they would favor the proposal, and only 18% opposed. Approximately 81% of both Republicans and Independents favor this detailed specific proposal. With knowledge of the specific details of the proposal, only 30% of voters in the district view this proposal as amnesty, while 60% believe that it is not amnesty. Even among Republicans, only 36% view the proposal as amnesty, while 54% believe that it is not. Approximately two-thirds of district voters indicate they have seen, read, or heard something about the immigration proposal before Congress, but the reaction to this proposal is very mixed. Among those who are aware of the proposal, 39% are in favor of it, while 36% are opposed, and 25% are unsure. A plurality of both Republicans and Independents are opposed to the proposal based on what they have seen, read, or heard so far. MESSAGE & POLICY TESTING Respondents were exposed to a series of individual elements of the proposal and asked if they would favor or oppose each of these elements.
% WHO FAVOR All Young undocumented people who serve in the military and have no criminal record would be eligible for permanent resident status immediately at the conclusion of their term of military service. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, or CBO, has determined that this immigration reform proposal would generate significant new income and payroll tax revenue, resulting in a nearly $1 trillion reduction in the federal budget deficit. Allocate a greater number of visas to foreigners who have earned a Masters degree or higher in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math. Provide green cards to foreign students graduating from American universities with advanced degrees so we stop educating the worlds best and brightest and then send them back home to compete against us. Not allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for legal status until the number of U.S. Border agents has been nearly doubled to 42,000 and the 700 miles of fencing is completed along the southern border. Young undocumented people, under the age of fifteen, whose parents brought them to the U.S. illegally or overstayed their visa would be eligible for permanent residence in five years. Passing this immigration reform legislation would stop President Obama from being able to pick and choose what immigration laws he wants to enforce, like he does now. 79% GOP 72% Very Conservative 75%

69%

67%

63%

64% 62%

65% 60%

59% 66%

61%

74%

75%

59%

51%

50%

58%

71%

80%

The Tarrance Group AAN Iowa CD 4 (June, 2013)

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