Fifty-four percent (54%) of Likely Voters nationwide believe Barack Obama is politically liberal. Fifty-two percent (52%) say the same about Hillary Clinton. Twenty-eight percent (28%) see Obama as moderate while 31% say the same about Clinton. Democratic voters see little ideological difference between their Presidential hopefuls. A plurality of Democrats see both Clinton and Obama as politically moderate.

Forty-one percent (41%) believe that John McCain is politically moderate while an equal number believe the presumptive Republican nominee is politically conservative. Most Republicans (57%) view McCain as politically moderate. Just 32% of GOP voters view their party’s standard-bearer as politically conservative.

Perceptions of Clinton have changed little since the campaign season began. In December, she was viewed as politically liberal by 54% and moderate by 31%.

However, Obama is now seen as more liberal than he was in December. McCain is seen as more conservative.

In December, 47% viewed Obama as politically liberal and 35% said he was a moderate.

The 41% who now see McCain as politically moderate is down four points from 45% in December. Thirty-one percent (31%) considered McCain politically conservative in December. That figure has grown a full ten-percentage points over the past four months.

Among unaffiliated voters, most believe that Clinton (54%) and Obama (56%) are politically liberal while a plurality (46%) see McCain as politically moderate.

Finally, 44% of all voters say that Ralph Nader is politically liberal and 25% are not sure of his ideology. A plurality (31%) are not sure of Ron Paul’s ideology.

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