Why is the Mountain West so socially liberal?

[TDAS04]

The mountain west is incredibly republican, yet much of it is socially much more liberal than expected. Montana is as liberal in social values as Virginia, Nebraska more than Ohio, Idaho more than Florida. Why?

Nebraska is definitely not more socially liberal than Ohio.  I also wouldn't call Idaho more socially liberal than Florida.

[TDAS04]

To be fair, most of the people in the Mountain West live in the more liberal, generally more urban states (CO, AZ, NM, NV).  That probably does make the overall population more socially liberal than the nation as a whole.

[TDAS04]

http://religionnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/PRRI-AVA-same-sex-marriage-1-RNS2-copy.jpg. http://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-label-fig3.jpg On social issues, the Mountain West is not that conservative.

That map shows New Hampshire to be more pro-gay marriage than Massachusetts and Vermont, lol.

[TDAS04]

The mountain west is incredibly republican, yet much of it is socially much more liberal than expected. Montana is as liberal in social values as Virginia, Nebraska more than Ohio, Idaho more than Florida. Why?

Nebraska is definitely not more socially liberal than Ohio.  I also wouldn't call Idaho more socially liberal than Florida.

Is Nebraska 'Mountain West'?

No.