If Americans chose their President based only on their perceptions of which candidate shares their views, 2012 GOP hopeful Jon Huntsman would be commander-in-chief, a poll released Thursday finds.
The USA Today/Gallup poll asked Americans to rate their own ideology on a scale of 1 to 5 — with 1 being very liberal and 5 being very conservative. Americans put themselves slightly to the right of center with a score of 3.3 — the same rating they give Huntsman, though 45% of those surveyed said they have no opinion of the former Utah governor.
Americans perceive GOP presidential hopeful Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who scored 4.0, and President Obama, who scored 2.3, as furthest from the ideological mainstream.
“Americans clearly tilt to the conservative side of the spectrum,” Frank Newport, Gallup’s editor-in-chief, told the Daily News. “One issue for Obama’s reelection is his need to tack to the middle.”
Newport said the poll also shows that a moderate Republican candidate “can be more in synch” with the general electorate than a Republican perceived as very conservative.
Among the better-known GOP candidates, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul each rate 3.5 on the scale, putting their ideology next-closest to the average American’s. The two candidates are statistically tied for the lead among Republican voters in next Tuesday’s Iowa caucuses, according to a CNN/Time/ORC International poll out this week.
With the exception of Obama — whom Republicans place far to the left with an average score of 1.7 — Republicans, Democrats and independents all perceive the other candidates’ views similarly.
Newport noted that perceptions of candidates’ views are “only one factor among many.” Others include candidates’ personalities, their positions on issues and the perceived weaknesses of their opponents.
Overall, conservatives outnumber moderates, with 42% of Americans identifying themselves as conservative or very conservative, 37% as moderate and 19% as liberal or very liberal.
The findings track America’s ideological outlook in 2010, when 40% of Americans described themselves as conservative, 35% as moderate and 21% as liberal, accord to Gallup.