The recent Vanity Fair/60 Minutes poll finds that Rush Limbaugh is widely seen as the single most influential conservative in America — but the poll internals, provided to TPM by Vanity Fair and the CBS polling department, also suggests that Democrats could be seriously underestimating the pull of Glenn Beck.
The poll had asked: “Who among the following do you think is currently the most influential conservative voice in America?” The top-line result was Rush Limbaugh 26%, Glenn Beck 11%, Sarah Palin 10%, Dick Cheney 10%, Sean Hannity 8%, and John Boehner (the only current elected official in the poll) at 4%.
My honest expectation, before receiving the internal data, was that Democrats would be overestimating the pull of Limbaugh, while self-identified Republicans and conservatives — the best people to ask if you want an answer for who is the most influential conservative — would shy away. But not so at all.
In fact, the various sub-groups all had the Limbaugh number pretty much the same, and close to the top-line of 26%: Democrats 24%, Republicans 28%, conservatives 25%, and independents 26%.
Meanwhile, only 6% of Democrats thought Glenn Beck was the most influential conservative, compared to 17% of Republicans and 14% of conservatives.
Here’s the full internal data:
MOST INFLUENTIAL CONSERVATIVE VOICE
Among Republicans
Glenn Beck 17%
Rush Limbaugh 28
Sarah Palin 15
Sean Hannity 7
Dick Cheney 12
John Boehner 2
Someone else (vol.) 2
None (vol.) 6
DK/NA 11Among Democrats
Glenn Beck 6%
Rush Limbaugh 24
Sarah Palin 10
Sean Hannity 7
Dick Cheney 13
John Boehner 5
Someone else (vol.) 1
None (vol.) 20
DK/NA 14Among Independents
Glenn Beck 11%
Rush Limbaugh 26
Sarah Palin 7
Sean Hannity 9
Dick Cheney 6
John Boehner 5
Someone else (vol.) 1
None (vol.) 17
DK/NA 18Among Conservatives
Glenn Beck 14%
Rush Limbaugh 25
Sarah Palin 13
Sean Hannity 10
Dick Cheney 8
John Boehner 5
Someone else (vol.) 1
None (vol.) 13
DK/NA 11
