Register poll shows opening for GOP

DES MOINES (AP) - A Des Moines Register poll says more Iowans consider themselves conservatives, but many who have left the Republican party say it has become too partisan.

The poll, published in a copyright story in Sunday's newspaper, says 43 percent of Iowans say they're conservative. That compares to 36 percent who call themselves moderate and 17 percent liberal. About 50 percent consider themselves fiscally conservative and 42 percent conservative on social issues.

Analysts say that could present an opening for Republicans, but the poll also shows former Republicans say by roughly 2-to-1 they left because the GOP seemed partisan and offered few new ideas.

The telephone poll was based on interviews of 800 Iowans. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.