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I just came across this interesting poll today. Gallup asked Americans to rate their own ideology on a scale of 0-5, with 1 being very liberal and 5 being very conservative, and then to rank the candidates on the same scale.
Average american score: 3.3
Jon Huntsman: 3.3
Mitt Romney: 3.5
Ron Paul: 3.5
Newt Gingrich: 3.6
Rick Santorum: 3.7
Rick Perry: 3.7
Michele Bachmann: 4.0
Barack Obama: 2.3
Before conservatives get too excited, the article notes:
Obama is perceived as the closest to the mean ideology of Democrats, both ranking at 2.8. Independents rank him exactly in the center, at 2.5, which is 0.7 away from the independent average (3.2). This puts him closer to the independent average than Michele Bachmann, at least.
While Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are the closest to the independent and overall mean, they are the farthest away from the Republican mean, which is 3.8. Santorum is closest to the Republican, average, with Bachmann and Gingrich being the next closest.
Americans See Views of GOP Candidates Closer to Their Own
In conclusion, at least according to this poll, Huntsman, Romney and Paul (in that order) are the candidates with the closest ideological fit to the country as a whole. Yet if party members pick according to their own ideology, the closest candidates are Obama, Santorum, and Bachmann/Gingrich (the farthest away from the independent mean).
Thoughts? (I advise looking at the graphs through the link to better conceptualize)
Average american score: 3.3
Jon Huntsman: 3.3
Mitt Romney: 3.5
Ron Paul: 3.5
Newt Gingrich: 3.6
Rick Santorum: 3.7
Rick Perry: 3.7
Michele Bachmann: 4.0
Barack Obama: 2.3
Before conservatives get too excited, the article notes:
Obama's mean ideology rating ends up furthest away from Americans' own mean score because Republicans place him far to the left, with an average of 1.7, compared with 2.5 among independents and 2.8 among Democrats. In fact, Obama is the only candidate whose ideology is perceived very differently by party groups; Republicans, Democrats, and independents generally perceive each of the Republican candidates' views similarly.
Obama is perceived as the closest to the mean ideology of Democrats, both ranking at 2.8. Independents rank him exactly in the center, at 2.5, which is 0.7 away from the independent average (3.2). This puts him closer to the independent average than Michele Bachmann, at least.
While Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are the closest to the independent and overall mean, they are the farthest away from the Republican mean, which is 3.8. Santorum is closest to the Republican, average, with Bachmann and Gingrich being the next closest.
Americans See Views of GOP Candidates Closer to Their Own
In conclusion, at least according to this poll, Huntsman, Romney and Paul (in that order) are the candidates with the closest ideological fit to the country as a whole. Yet if party members pick according to their own ideology, the closest candidates are Obama, Santorum, and Bachmann/Gingrich (the farthest away from the independent mean).
Thoughts? (I advise looking at the graphs through the link to better conceptualize)