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STATE OF THE STATES

Ala. Most Conservative State; Mass. Most Liberal

New poll shows more Americans are conservative, but liberals are on the rise

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by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Image: Talking Points Memo

Alabama earned the title of most conservative state in America last year, while Washington, D.C., though technically not a state, followed by Massachusetts, were named the most liberal. Alaska got the crown for most moderate, according to a new Gallup poll.

In general, America in 2012 become a slightly more liberal and slightly less conservative nation than it was the year before, based on how residents identified their ideology. But conservatives still outnumber both moderates and liberals, according to the poll.

Of the nearly 212,000 people randomly surveyed by telephone around the nation, 38 percent said they were conservative, 36 percent identified themselves as moderate, and 23 percent as liberal, Gallup wrote.

The top ten states with the highest percentage of conservatives in order are: Alabama, North Dakota, Wyoming, Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska and Arkansas.

The top ten states with the highest percentage of liberals in order are: Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Delaware, Connecticut, Washington, Rhode Island, Hawaii, and New York.

The top ten states with the highest percentage of moderates in order are: Alaska, Rhode Island, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Connecticut, Montana, and New Jersey.

Via Gallup

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How does your ideology fit into your state and how do you feel about it?

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Comments (view in Forum)

  • MongoAPillager
    !
    been warning y,all about taxachussetts for a long time now,flatlanders we call,em,they keep retiring and moving up here,have pretty much destroyed the lower half of the state with their liberal eggsucking ways.the thing to remeber about most city folks is they are born in a cage and will fight to the death to bring that cage with them where ever they go
  • stepped_in_it
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    @martydotcom I was always told if you don't smoke, drink or cuss, you'll live longer! I think it'd be so boring it'd just seem that way.
  • Rocker
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    Shoot Mongo, you're lucky you have moderate weather up there. We get 'invaded' again during summers and during bowl seasons. Cotton ain't king any more but we still have to hide the wemmen and the whiskey. lol

  • View all 23 replies >

  • GmanGSW
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    I'm in VA, actually Northern VA, and being a Moderate, in this area, I catch it from my Republican friends and Liberal acquaintances! Hey, where is VA up there anyway? I'm waiting for my phone call. Wait. I know. I'll be called tomorrow, by a Pakistani or Indian, right at the beginning of the Superbowl! Ack!!!!!
  • WMCOL
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    >>>And where do Texans fall into all of this?<<<

    Well that poll shows Texas is 42.6 Conservative, 34.4 Moderate, and 19.4 Liberal.
  • mimi57
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    @WMCOL If it wasn't for my family ties...I'd move to Texas, beautiful State, especially San Antonio and I love their "Don't Mess With Texas" motto. If 'push
    ever does come to shove', they'll be the last state standing.

  • View all 18 replies >

  • mimi57
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    I'm for Ohio...so it goes either way, the wealthier areas tend to vote Republican,
    while the Union Thugs are always using their threat tactics to get the Dems votes.
    We have a lot of strong labor unions here, not near as much as we once did, but,
    they are still here none the less. With Ohio being in the middle somewhere, between hard working, small business people, to big labor unions who will "fit
    you with a pair of cement shoes", if you dare go against them...I knew Mass. was
    number one in being the most liberal, although I'm surprised Cal. isn't first. Good
    for Alabama...I'll have to vacation there and spend lots of money!
  • RoyFloyd
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    Good that Ohio got rid of all those damn unions. Probably a lot more prosperous now than in the 50's and 60's when union membership was high. Non-union jobs where one can raise a middle-class family on a single income must be abundant.
  • mimi57
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    @RoyFloyd Actually, there was a time when unions were very much needed. They
    were instrumental in getting safer working conditions, fair pay, and supported workers rights. However, they've now degenerated and are strictly about their own
    self interests and lining their pockets with money from the workers they claim to support. Unions illustrate the axiom of,'A cause turning into a movement which then
    becomes a business, then becomes a racket'. Unions, like the government have turned into a 'criminal enterprise', with the exception of a few good ones.( ;
  • RoyFloyd
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    @mimi57 Certainly unions are no longer needed, because the middle class does so much better now than in 1960. We have full confidence that employers will maintain safe working conditions, fair play, safety, and workers rights out of their renowned benevolence. Lord knows corporations never, ever follow self-interest or line their own pockets. They care about us.
  • mimi57
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    @RoyFloyd Well, we can't live in Lala land, right? I mean seriously, I've worked for
    both union and non union, and I can say that the majority of the time, the Unions time
    was spent to bail out the same people who were smoking pot in the parking lot, missing work, chronically late, or just had a very poor work performance...they still
    took MY union dues, but, I did my job as I should and never needed them. Also,
    many in my area always had mob ties and still do, and I will not be told who to vote
    for, not by anyone! I'm too independent and prefer to be judged on my own merits.
    I work in the mental health field field, we are a non union facility.
  • kathyparsell
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    @mimi57
    Go Lady go, America needs more common sence people who make happiness from helping rather than how much the earn a year.

  • View all 6 replies >

  • Malitia_Man
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    By liberal, you actually mean communist... The term liberal actually means; One who believes in a political ideology, a branch of liberalism which advocates civil liberties and political freedom with limited government under the rule of law and generally promotes a laissez-faire economic policy.

    Today's "liberal", wants none of that!!!

    So to answer your question... I am a CLASSICAL Liberal!!!

  • View all 7 replies >

  • Fishbone345
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    Show's like Honey Boo Boo, don't do a lot to combat the image of Southerners being uneducated rednecks. Y'all should do something about that.
  • u
    Realthinker
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    @Fishbone345 And just who would "Y'all" be? This trash is produced by Hollywood and these people are being told what to do by a director who most assuredly is NOT A CONSERVATIVE. This program is produced specifically to perpetuate a bigoted stereotype and YOU tell the victims they need to stop producing it? I think it's a shame I had to educate you about this program and the people responsible. "Reality tv" isn't reality.

  • View all 19 replies >

  • Fishbone345
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    Utah #5 for Conservatives. Totally believable, and due to the LDS Church. Though ironically enough, Church headquarters are located downtown Salt Lake City where the highest percentage of liberals, gays and minorities live. The Conservative city here is Provo, home base of BYU.
  • Fishbone345
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    @stepped_in_it Still, 6 of the top ten states are Red. And really New Mexico can be split, they gave their Electorates to Obama, but they have a Republican Governor. I'd say that's a draw. So 6.5 of the top ten states are Conservative, proving his statement correct.
    If you look at maps, you will find that the South generally ranks in the top 20 which is a better look at how Federal money is spent anyways.
    I think what Harold was trying to point out was the irony of how Conservatives feel about Federal Aid being that their biggest supporters take the most.
    Of course like with any issue you can find articles supporting whichever side you take in the debate.
  • stepped_in_it
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    @Fishbone345 6 out of 10 is better (electorates are the state, not the governor) and then we can agree!
    As for the "irony of how Conservatives feel about Federal Aid being that their biggest supporters take the most." also agree.....makes me glad I'm independent. At least when I make unfounded statements, it's because I'm not to smart, not because my party told me so!

  • View all 18 replies >

  • u
    BelinKS
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    The state in which I live was on the list of the most conservative. My dad considered me a moderate, my friends and peers considerer me a conservative. I think by different generations their definitions of conservative, moderate and liberal are different. I consider myself as a conservative with some moderate leaning. The moderate leanings are usual common sense on things that are liberal that I think will not go away, but do need some tweaking to get them more under control. I am a realist. I know that everything I disagree with will not, and some do not need to go completely. As i already said, just need a little tweaking to bring them back from the far left. I don't think you can pigeon hole many people into just those three groups. Ther are liberals that I know that are so far left, they fell off the measurement ruler. I think there are some major conservatives, but have not met one that would fall of the right end of the ruler. That doesn't mean they don't exist. What I am speaking of is my own personal experiences and views.
  • DerivePI
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    If we could just cut out and remove the Philadelphia prosperity sink, we'd be well in line for the "most conservative" trophy.
  • o
    NTBFW
    !
    Let me guess. You can't drink soda, can't gain weight, can't exercise your rights, you are forced to buy health ins, ....... It never stops.
  • DrFunkenstein
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    There is a correlation between IQs, graduation rates and College completion rates when it comes to ideology. When I graduated college it was close to even but now the less intelligent people go to the new Conservative ideology whereas educated people are mostly now considered liberal. I was a Reagan Republican but in today's world I guess I'm liberal because the bar moved so much for Conservative to the extremes.
  • Neo_NtheMatrix
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    How would you like to define it? I define things by right and wrong. Right now obama is wrong and he's destroying the nation. I see nothing wrong with point that out.
  • Denizen_Kate
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    @Neo_NtheMatrix - I'm just tired of the rancor, and everyone seemingly needing to define themselves as either right or left. You define things by right or wrong according to your views, and no one else's. IMO we can all learn something new every day by listening to or reading different views. If we don't, we are defining the term "narrow minded." Obama is just a man and does not have nearly as much power as your fear seems to indicate.
  • Thegrif
    !
    Well we have SEC Football down here.

    As for politics I don't think any of us matter anyway. Someone else is the pupet master, seems to me.
    Whoever they want, for whatever reason they want them, that's who seems to become President.
    I mean in Obama's first election, this guy comes out if no damn where, a Junior Senator, and kicks Hillary's butt. After the whole country had pretty much already given the nomination to Hillary.
    Personally I am starting to think our votes don't matter anyway.
    We can all stay home and not vote and somehow they will have a winner.
    The biggest lie our gov't ever told us, is that we actually matter anymore.
  • stepped_in_it
    !
    Electoral vote! We were all told that the election was gonna be decided by 2 states..Ohio and Florida were the swing states.!/25th of the US "decided" for 24/25th of the US. I know I will "catch" flake for this, but, do away with the electoral vote and use the popular vote...IMO
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