(CNSNews.com) - Americans who consider themselves conservatives now outnumber Americans who consider themselves liberal by almost two to one, according to a new poll by the Washington Post and ABC News.

In the poll of 1,001 adults conducted between July 15-18, respondents were asked: “Would you say your views on most political matters are liberal, moderate, or conservative?”

Thirty-eight percent said they were conservative, while only 20% said they were liberal.  Thirty-nine percent, meanwhile, said they were moderate.

The percentage of self-described conservatives has increased since President Barack Obama was inaugurated in January and the percentage of self-described liberals has diminished.  A Washington Post poll conducted in mid-January, shortly before the inauguration, showed 32% saying they were conservative, 24% saying they were liberal and 42% saying they were moderates.

The poll’s margin of error is +/- 3 points.

A Post poll done in late March also had 38% of respondents describing themselves as conservatives, but the percentage of conservatives dipped to 35% in an April poll and 36% in a June poll.

The highest percentage that conservatives have achieved in this poll since the beginning of the 2008 presidential election cycle (in January 2007) was 39%. That came in a September 2007 poll, several months before the first 2008 presidential primaries.

The highest percentage that liberals achieved in this poll during the same time frame was 25%, a mark they hit in both February 2008, in the midst of the presidential primaries, and July 2007.
 
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Here are the results from a Washington Post-ABC News Poll that asked respondents whether they considered their views on most political matters liberal, moderate or conservative.
 
Date                             Liberal              Moderate         Conservative
 
7/18/09                        20%                 39%                 38%
 
6/21/09                        22                    40                    36
 
4/24/09                        23                    39                    35
 
3/29/09                        20                    38                    38
 
2/22/09                        23                    38                    37
 
1/16/09                        24                    42                    32
 
12/14/08                      22                    37                    37
 
8/22/08                        22                    41                    33
 
7/13/08                        19                    43                    35
      
6/15/08                        21                    43                    33
 
5/11/08                        24                    39                    34
 
4/13/08                        24                    38                    35
 
3/2/08                          19                    48                    30
 
2/1/08                          25                    38                    34
 
1/12/08                        24                    36                    36
 
12/9/07                        24                    38                    36
 
11/1/07                        24                    41                    32
 
9/30/07                        24                    45                    30
 
9/7/07                          20                    39                    39
 
7/21/07                        25                    39                    32
 
6/1/07                          24                    36                    37
 
4/15/07                        24                    42                    32
 
2/25/07                        23                    40                    35
 
1/19/07                        23                    41                    33
 
12/11/06                      23                    42                    33