Romney now viewed as most conservative GOP candidate
Monday, November 12, 2007
Rasmussen Reports
During the early stumbles of Fred Thompson’s Presidential campaign, his poll numbers and position in the race were sustained by the perception of Republican voters that he was the most conservative candidate in the Republican field. That is no longer the case.
Mitt Romney now tops Thompson and is seen as the most conservative candidate while Mike Huckabee is gaining ground fast on that front. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey data shows that 46% of Republican voters see Romney as politically conservative (see crosstabs). That’s up ten percentage points from 36% a month ago. Romney has also opened a significant lead in New Hampshire, home of the first Republican Presidential Primary.
At the same time, the number seeing Thompson as politically conservative has fallen eleven percentage points to 40% (see crosstabs). Thirty-four percent (34%) of Republicans now see the former Tennessee Senator as politically moderate while 3% say he’s liberal. As doubts of Thompson’s conservative credentials have grown, his support in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll has declined.
Moving up fast in the competition for most conservative contender is Mike Huckabee. Thirty-eight percent (38%) now view him as politically conservative, twenty percent (20%) say moderate, and 6% liberal (see crosstabs). In July, before the Huckabee boomlet began, just 21% viewed him as conservative while 27% said moderate or liberal.
Huckabee is still less well known than the other contenders and 36% of Republican voters do not know enough to offer an opinion on his ideology. Among those Republicans who do offer an opinion on his ideology, 59% view Huckabee as politically conservative. That’s a point higher than Romney earns among those who have an opinion on his ideology.
Just 30% of Republican voters see John McCain as politically conservative, unchanged from a month ago. Twenty-seven percent (27%) hold that view of Giuliani, little changed over the past month. Giuliani continues to lead in the national polls and is currently seen as the most electable Republican.
Looked at from the other perspective, 70% see Giuliani as moderate or liberal while 64% of Republicans say the same of McCain. Thompson is viewed as moderate or liberal by 37% of GOP voters, Romney by 33%, and Huckabee by 26%.
Ron Paul is viewed as politically conservative by just 16% of Republican voters. Twenty-six percent (26%) view him as politically moderate, 16% say liberal, and 42% have no opinion.
Among all voters nationwide, as opposed to just Republicans, Thompson is viewed as the most conservative of the group. Forty-six percent (46%) of all voters hold that view of him while 38% say the same about Romney. Thirty percent (30%) of all voters see McCain and Huckabee as politically conservative, while 27% say that description fits Giuliani.
It is interesting to note the gaps in perceptions between the parties. While 60% of Republicans view Rudy Giuliani as politically moderate, only 31% of Democrats agree. While 46% of Republicans see Romney as politically conservative, only 32% of Democrats share that view. Perceptions of John McCain are fairly consistent across party lines.
Looking at the public perceptions of Democratic Presidential contenders, 76% of Republicans consider Senator Hillary Clinton as politically liberal.
Only 29% of Democrats agree.
