O-SenseHow conservative is the Republican Party today?
And how conservative should the Republican Party be?
Don’t be too quick on these questions, because they are not necessarily the same.
And a new Idaho Politics Weekly poll by Dan Jones & Associates finds some interesting differences.
The same goes for Idahoans beliefs on the Democratic Party, as well.
The first question asks where, in your opinion, the Republican Party falls today on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being “very liberal,” 5 being “moderate,” and 10 being “very conservative.”
The second question asks where you would prefer the Republican Party to be on a scale of 0-10.
And some of the most interesting results come when those who say they are Republicans hold the looking glass up to their faces; and the same for Democrats.
Some of Jones’ findings:
- When all Idahoans are asked where the Republican Party stands today on the political ideology scale of 0-10, 10 percent say it is a liberal party, 21 percent say it is a moderate party, and 62 percent say it is a conservative party.
Seventeen percent say it is a 10 – or a “very conservative” political party.
- When all Idahoans say where they would like the Republican Party to be ideologically, 6 percent say it should be a liberal party, only 27 percent say it should be a moderate party, and 60 percent said it should be a conservative party.
But let’s see what Republicans themselves say about their party:
- Only 3 percent say the GOP should be a liberal party. OK, that makes sense.
- But only 17 percent say their party should be a moderate party.
That’s a bit of a surprise, for there are some Republicans (not many in Idaho, apparently) who believe the national party is too far to the right and needs to moderate to win elections, especially the presidency.
- 78 percent of Republicans say their party should be conservative.
- And 22 percent – more than a fifth – of Idaho Republicans said it should be to the very far right, or a 10, “very conservative.”
Jones finds – and this is fascinating to political junkies – that only 8 percent of those who defined themselves as “very conservative” believe their Republican Party is, in fact, very conservative.
And 34 percent of the “very conservative” ideologues say their party should, in fact, be very conservative.
That means that 66 percent, or two-thirds, of the “very conservative” themselves, believe their party should NOT be very conservative – or reflect their right-wing politics.
A rather liberal, or reasonable, view, is it not?
Now for the Democrats:
- 64 percent of Idahoans say the Democratic Party is liberal, 17 percent say it is moderate politically while 11 percent say it is conservative.
Four percent of Idahoans say the Democratic Party is “very liberal.”
- 31 percent say the Democratic Party should be liberal.
- But 36 percent, more than one-third, say it should become a moderate party while 24 percent say the Democrats should become conservative.
How do the Democrats see themselves?
- Half, 50 percent, say they should be a liberal party.
- 23 percent say the Democratic Party should be a moderate party – or move more toward the middle.
- And 20 percent – or one-fifth – of Democrats say their party should become a more conservative party.
Interesting.
- Only 8 percent of Democrats say their party should become a “very liberal” party.
Twelve percent of those who classified themselves as “very liberal” politically say the current Democratic Party is, in fact, very liberal.
But only 20 percent of the “very liberal” folks say their party should, in reality, be a very liberal party.
Meaning that 80 percent of the “very liberal” folks in Idaho DO NOT believe the Democratic Party should be a “very liberal” political party.
Again, a liberal, or reasonable, opinion -- that their party should not follow their own, rather small, political clique.
Considering that Idaho, in fact, is a Republican state – with all major state offices and congressional offices being held by Republicans – then where do Democrats and political independents want the state GOP to move on the political scale.
Jones finds that 43 percent of Democrats would like the Republican Party to become a moderate party, while 32 percent of the independents want a more moderate Republican Party.
Republicans themselves, as pointed out above, don’t go for that – 78 percent say their party should be a conservative party, with 22 percent saying it should be a “very conservative” party.
While only 17 percent of Idaho Republicans say their party should be a more moderate party.
