In its most recent survey of state political climates, the Gallup polling organization has found Mississippi to be the most conservative state in America, with 50.5 percent of its residents identifying themselves as such.
Following hard on the heels of the Magnolia state are Idaho, with 48.5 percent of its residents identifying themselves as conservative, followed by Alabama, with 48.3 percent of its people tilting to the right. Other top conservatives states include Wyoming (47.4 percent), Utah (47.3), South Dakota (46.9), Louisiana (46.8), North Dakota (46.7), South Carolina (45.8), and Arkansas (45 percent).
Predictably, on the other end of the spectrum at 41.1 percent, the District of Columbia boasts the most residents identifying themselves as politically liberal, followed by Vermont (30.5 percent), and Rhode Island (29.3 percent.). Other liberal-leaning states include Massachusetts (28 percent), Connecticut (26.7), New York (26.6), Oregon (26.3), Colorado (26), Washington (25.9), and New Jersey (24.2 percent).
Overall Gallup, which surveyed a total of 182,538 adults in all 50 states and D.C., found that conservatives outrank liberals in every state, with Mississippiwhere Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats, the governorship, and the state Senate being the first state in which more than half of its residents identified themselves as conservative.
Geographically, the survey found that the most conservative states are in the South and West, while the most liberal states lie in the Eastern U.S. and on the West Coast.
The top 10 rankings make clear that conservative identification is much more common than liberal identification, noted a Gallup report on the survey, with each of the top 10 conservative states at or above 45 percent identification and only the District of Columbia exceeding 31 percent liberal identification.
The researchers found that as a whole, Americans are about twice as likely to identify as conservative as they are to identify as liberal, a pattern that has persisted for many years. The survey also found that Americans are more likely to say they are conservative than moderate.
In addition to finding conservative percentages dominating by significant margins across America, the Gallup pollsters pointed out that ideological identification has been largely stable in recent years even though there has been greater change in party affiliation at the state level.
The report noted that with a conservative sweep in the 2010 elections, there has been an evident conservative tilt in the approaches state governments are taking to deal with their biggest challenges which, not surprisingly, boil down to too much spending and not enough revenue.
While previous administrations simply resorted to various forms of income, sales, and corporate tax increases, at least some of the most recently elected crop of conservative governors and legislators appear to be committed to keeping their campaign promises, noted the Gallup pollsters, through such means as attempting to cut pay or benefits of unionized state workers to address revenue shortfalls and budget deficits.
With the account books of most states reflecting decades of over-the-top spending, the conservative majorities in other states can expect to witness epic style tantrums similar to those demonstrated by the liberal minority in Wisconsin should their own legislatures choose to follow the example of that states elected leaders and commit to fiscal responsibility.
