People & The Press data:
Presidential Campaign Gains Attention
Interest in the presidential election has risen slowly but steadily since last summer and is now higher than at a comparable period in past election cycles. Fully 19% are following news about this year's presidential election very closely, up from 11% in June 1999, when the Pew Research Center began asking whether Americans were following the campaign. And the percentage following very closely is nine points higher than in January 1996 and eight points higher than in January 1992.
<http://www.people-press.org/jan00mor1.htm>