US Super Tuesday Presidential Primaries - Romney and Santorum Neck and Neck

As the general election approaches, the practical goal of beating Mr. Obama appears to be trumping the ideological goal of electing a true conservative.

Back in January, when caucus-goers in Iowa were asked which one of a short list of candidate qualities mattered most in their voting decisions, 31 percent said that being able to defeat Mr. Obama mattered most, followed by 25 percent who wanted a true conservative.

Since then, the importance of the practical goal has increased, with 4 in 10 respondents in Massachusetts, Ohio, Georgia and Tennessee saying that defeating Mr. Obama was their priority, while the goal of ideological purity has declined in perceived importance.

For more: Super Tuesday Results - Live Results - Election 2012 - NYTimes.com