Views about size of government among who say common sense is their primary source of guidance on what's right and wrong by state (2014) Switch to: State among who say common sense is their primary source of guidance on what's right and wrong by views about size of government

% of who say common sense is their primary source of guidance on what's right and wrong who would rather have…

StateSmaller government; fewer servicesBigger government; more servicesDependsDon't knowSample size
Alabama52%45%3%1%180
Alaska53%45%1%1%146
Arizona60%36%1%3%286
Arkansas58%38%< 1%3%114
California46%48%3%4%1,596
Colorado53%40%4%4%209
Connecticut58%36%3%4%197
Delaware55%42%< 1%2%141
District of Columbia19%76%3%3%118
Florida47%46%3%4%933
Georgia51%40%4%5%360
Hawaii54%37%6%3%158
Idaho67%26%3%5%150
Illinois53%41%3%3%596
Indiana57%35%3%4%282
Iowa55%37%3%6%148
Kansas56%31%4%9%139
Kentucky54%37%5%4%175
Louisiana50%43%3%4%172
Maine64%31%1%4%167
Maryland55%39%1%5%282
Massachusetts50%43%3%4%366
Michigan53%39%3%5%447
Minnesota56%39%3%2%261
Missouri55%39%1%5%267
Montana66%29%< 1%5%138
Nebraska66%29%2%3%134
Nevada60%35%4%1%162
New Hampshire70%26%2%2%168
New Jersey45%47%5%4%421
New Mexico38%59%1%2%115
New York45%50%3%2%935
North Carolina50%41%4%5%391
North Dakota68%29%2%1%160
Ohio54%38%3%5%527
Oklahoma60%34%2%3%163
Oregon53%42%2%3%185
Pennsylvania57%38%2%3%590
Rhode Island47%42%5%7%156
South Carolina51%42%2%5%177
South Dakota62%34%3%< 1%140
Tennessee55%40%2%3%231
Texas45%47%3%4%953
Utah55%37%3%6%119
Vermont44%46%3%8%162
Virginia57%38%2%2%350
Washington57%37%3%2%308
West Virginia53%38%4%5%125
Wisconsin62%33%3%2%267
Wyoming70%20%2%8%125
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Smaller government; fewer services, Bigger government; more services