Poll Watch: Rasmussen Political Ideology Survey

Rasmussen Political Ideology Survey

Many people have different ideological perspectives on fiscal issues and social issues. When it comes to fiscal issues such as taxes, government spending and business regulation, are you politically conservative, moderate, or liberal?

• Conservative 43%
• Moderate 38%
• Liberal 13%

When it comes to social issues like abortion, public prayer, and Church-state topics, are you politically conservative, moderate, or liberal?

• Conservative 36%
• Moderate 31%
• Liberal 29%

Survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted May 5-6, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

Inside the numbers:

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans say they are fiscal conservatives. Among Democrats, 50% say they are moderate on money issues, while 28% view themselves as fiscal liberals. As for voters not affiliated with either party, 48% say they’re fiscal moderates, and 33% think of themselves as conservatives in this area. 

When it comes to social policy, 66% of GOP voters say they are conservative, while 54% of Democrats regard themselves as social liberals. Unaffiliated voters are narrowly divided ideologically when it comes to social issues. 

Male voters are more conservative than female voters on both fiscal and social issues. Younger voters are more liberal in both areas than those who are older. 

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of likely voters characterize themselves as both fiscal and social conservatives. By contrast, only 10% of Likely U.S. Voters say they are liberal in both areas. 

Voters continue to believe tax cuts and decreases in government spending will benefit the nation’s economy. 

When it comes to abortion, 50% of voters consider themselves pro-choice, while 40% say they are pro-life.