New Study Shows Social Conservatives Outnumber Fiscal Conservatives

Written by Fran Eaton, IllinoisReview.com

Time and time again, Illinois social conservatives are lectured by fiscal conservatives that social issues should be kicked to the curb. According to a new study, social conservatives are actually more important to the Republican base than economic conservatives.

As part of the collaborative “2013 Economic Values Survey” by the Public Research Institute and the Brookings Institution, researchers found that fiscal conservatism “has the weakest hold in American public opinion.”

Based on the response of conservatives, 38% of Americans are theological conservatives, 29% are social conservatives, and only 25% are economic conservatives.

And what difference does theology make when it comes to party affiliation?

The Economic Values Survey showed among Democrats, 28 percent are religious progressives, 42 percent are religious moderates, and 13 percent are religious conservatives; additionally, 17 percent are nonreligious.

Among Republicans, a majority (56 percent) are religious conservatives, 33 percent are religious moderates, 5 percent are religious progressives, and 6 percent are nonreligious.