In the last national Economist/YouGov poll prior to the New Hampshire primary, Republican caucus and primary participants nationwide appear to have begun to see Mitt Romney as a conservative.
Overall, Republican primary and caucus participants divide as follows in their perceptions of Romney: 52% see Romney as a conservative, 27% as a moderate, 12% as a liberal. Tea Party Republicans are more likely to rate Romney a moderate than others, but almost half of them (48%) credit Romney as a conservative.
Republican caucus/primary voters (including Tea Party and non-Tea Party Republican caucus/primary voters) rate Romney as conservative, moderate or liberal.
| ALL Republican Primary Participants | Tea Party Republican Primary Participants | Non-Tea Party Republican Primary Participants | |
|---|---|---|---|
Liberal.............................. | 12 | 12 | 9 |
Moderate.......................... | 27 | 34 | 23 |
Conservative..................... | 52 | 48 | 55 |
