US States by Political Matrix Scores

[Nichlemn]

Suppose all voters in the 2008 general election completed Atlas' Political Matrix Quiz. If we looked at the median scores for both economic and social views in each state, what states would be the most and least conservative in both categories? What states would have the biggest gaps between median scores?

My guesses:

Most Economically Conservative: Wyoming
About as Republican as Utah, but seemingly less socially conservative. Thus, economic conservatism makes up for it.

Most Economically Liberal: Maryland
Maryland has more Democratic base voters than MA, according to Nate Silver. It makes sense: there are lots of blacks and liberal whites in the DC suburbs, contrasted with conservative Republicans in the rural areas. Massachusetts has a lot of Democratic-leaning independents who are nonetheless open to a Scott Brown or William Weld type Republican. I'm guessing the importance of the federal government also pushes the states

Most Socially Conservative: Mississippi
I'm mostly going off the 2004 anti-gay marriage amendment garnering 86% of the vote, a nationwide record. Both whites and blacks are very socially conservative.

Most Socially Liberal: Vermont
Kind of unsure here, the Republicans did manage to win back the Vermont House in 2000 on the back of Civil Union legislation. But back then, I'd imagine that sort of thing would happen anywhere.

Biggest Differences:

Most Relatively Libertarian: New Hampshire
Most Relatively Authoritarian: West Virginia

[angus]

Taking the test for Iowa, or as best as I could develop with answers that I think represent an agglomeration of my neighbors' attitudes, I came up with the following result:

Economic score: -1.03
Social score: +1.74

Your score pegs you as economically center-leftist and socially center-authoritarian.

Despite the labels the score is fairly centrist, near the middle, as I'd expect.

[opebo]

Taking the test for Iowa, or as best as I could develop with answers that I think represent an agglomeration of my neighbors' attitudes, I came up with the following result:

Economic score: -1.03
Social score: +1.74

I tried to take the test in the same way, for Missouri, and came up with this result:

Economic score: +1.81
Social score: +5.91

Center-Capitalist and Socially Authoritarian.  Sounds like my hellhole of a state for sure.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I tried to take the test in the same way, for Missouri, and came up with this result:

Economic score: +1.81
Social score: +5.91

Center-Capitalist and Socially Authoritarian.  Sounds like my hellhole of a state for sure.

They're that socially conservative in MO?  I mean, sure, those yayhoos in the Ozarks, are probably conservative, but I thought the big cities would be a bastion of liberalism?

[opebo]

I tried to take the test in the same way, for Missouri, and came up with this result:

Economic score: +1.81
Social score: +5.91

Center-Capitalist and Socially Authoritarian.  Sounds like my hellhole of a state for sure.

They're that socially conservative in MO?  I mean, sure, those yayhoos in the Ozarks, are probably conservative, but I thought the big cities would be a bastion of liberalism?

Not all that much.  I mean you have your liberal educated elite, but a lot of Democratic voters in the cities are blacks or working class whites, who are also somewhat socially conservative, though not as bad as the rural dullards.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I took it as I think western PA would respond:

Economic score: -3.1
Social score: +1.74

I find the econ score just a tad too conservative....I'd guess it should be closer to -4.  The social sounds about right.

[bullmoose88]

I took it as I think western PA would respond:

Economic score: -3.1
Social score: +1.74

I find the econ score just a tad too conservative....I'd guess it should be closer to -4.  The social sounds about right.

The east balances that out quite a bit.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I took it as I think western PA would respond:

Economic score: -3.1
Social score: +1.74

I find the econ score just a tad too conservative....I'd guess it should be closer to -4.  The social sounds about right.

The east balances that out quite a bit.

You guys just suck, k?  Thx. 

[bullmoose88]

I took it as I think western PA would respond:

Economic score: -3.1
Social score: +1.74

I find the econ score just a tad too conservative....I'd guess it should be closer to -4.  The social sounds about right.

The east balances that out quite a bit.

You guys just suck, k?  Thx. 

Yawn...if western PA is so great...Why is everybody LEAVING???  You scaring them away grampypants?

[bgwah]

I tried taking it as WA and got:

Econ: +0.26
Social: -2.43

Some of the questions are hard to answer, especially the vague ones like "The government should provide basic needs, etc." I just put neutral for those ones.

Sometimes we've recently had an initiative or referendum which helps pick an answer. (we overwhelmingly rejected a high-earners income tax last year, so I put agree for "unfair that rich people pay higher taxes," we pretty solidly approved assisted suicide, so that was another agree). I tend to think of WA as a pretty pro-free trade state, which probably made the difference in pushing us to a positive econ score.

[opebo]

Yawn...if western PA is so great...Why is everybody LEAVING???  You scaring them away grampypants?

Like so many areas of the US, there is simply no economic future or reason for being for this sad area.  Vast numbers of americans are discovering what it is like to wander hopelessly, from Florida to Texas and back again - one wasteland to another.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

West Virginia as Authortarian?

I dont think my relatives up their would allow it lol.

[TeePee4Prez]

I took it as I think western PA would respond:

Economic score: -3.1
Social score: +1.74

I find the econ score just a tad too conservative....I'd guess it should be closer to -4.  The social sounds about right.

The east balances that out quite a bit.

You guys just suck, k?  Thx. 

Yawn...if western PA is so great...Why is everybody LEAVING???  You scaring them away grampypants?

Eastern PA would be tricky.  I'd imagine Northeast PA more populist and Southeast more libertarian save Philadelphia. I'd say:

NE Penn:

Economic: -4.00 to -5.00
Social: EVEN to +1.00

Lehigh Valley- Quintessential swing area.  Has interesting mix of populism and libertarianism

Economic: +1.00 to -1.00
Social: EVEN to +1.00

SE Penn sans Philly:

Economic: +1.00 to -1.00 (I'm taking older, industrial suburbs into consideration here as well)
Social: -5.00 to - 6.00

Philly:

Economic: -7.00 to -8.00
Social: -5.00 to -7.00

Yep, I'd actually be considered center-right here.

[tpfkaw]

Massachusetts:

Economic score: -1.81
Social score: +0.7

Rich Boston suburb (such as the one I grew up in):

Economic score: +1.29
Social score: -3.65