Alabama has won the title of the most conservative state in the nation, followed closely by North Dakota, Wyoming, Mississippi, and Utah, a new
Gallup poll reveals.
Rounding out the Top 10 reddest of the red states are Oklahoma, Idaho, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Arkansas.
Alabama took the crown after a majority of residents — 50.6 percent of those polled — told Gallup they identified their ideology as conservative.
North Dakota and Wyoming tied for second place with 48.6 percent of residents in those states saying they are conservative.
“The Top 10 conservative states are all red states that vote reliably Republican in national elections, all located in the nation's Southern, Midwestern, and Mountain West regions,’’ Gallup’s Frank Newport said.
But perplexingly, three states considered the most Republican — Kansas, Montana, and Alaska — do not rank among the most conservative states, Gallup found.
And while Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas rank in the Top 10 conservative states, they are not considered among the most Republican.
As for most liberal, Washington, D.C. takes the crown, followed by Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Delaware, Connecticut, Washington, Hawaii, and New York.
Some 40.8 percent of Washington, D.C. residents said they identified their ideology as liberal.
The state with the most moderates is Alaska, followed by Rhode Island and Ohio.
“The distribution of ideology in 2012 generally reflects the familiar ‘blue state,’ ‘red state’ patterns that define the political geography of today's modern America,’’ Gallup said.