National Issues, Strategic Politicians, and Voting Behavior in the 1980 and 1982 Congressional Elections

This article tests the strategic politicians hypothesis by examining the effects of national issues and the strategic decisions of congressional candidates and campaign contributors on voting behavior in a presidential election year, 1980, and a midterm election year, 1982. The findings indicate that national issues-the presidential contest in 1980 and the incumbent president's economic policies in 1982-directly affected voting decisions in both elections. Most of the Republican gains in the 1980 House elections can be attributed to the effects of voters' evaluations of the presidential candidates. In 1982, Democratic gains were limited because, despite a severe recession, many voters had not given up hope that Reaganomics would eventually work.