For the first time ever, a Rasmussen public opinion poll shows more Americans self-identifying themselves as Republicans as opposed to Democrats or independents.

The survey shows 36% of adults identifying themselves as Republicans, with 35% calling themselves Democrats, and 29% independents.  What makes this numbers even more interesting is that the poll applies to "all Americans", not just "registered voters", or "likely voters", (which are almost always more Republican in their responses that the general public).

After the 2008 presidential elections, Democrats had an almost 8% advantage over Republicans in the same poll, which points to a net swing of 9% since Obama became President.

The poll also notes that the number of self-identified Democrats is only just above the lowest level ever recorded.

The biggest reason for this result would seem to be that voters continue to trust Republicans more on key issues than Democrats...but even this has a lot to do with just a plain, old-fashioned rejection of Obama and the Congressional Democrats agenda of the past two years.

Of course there is caution here for Republicans, as the 2010 election was largely a referendum on Obama, rather than a mandate for the GOP.  In fact, the same poll shows that even self-identified Republicans believe that the Congressional GOP is out of touch with the grassroots, and most voters expect to "be disappointed" by the GOP before the next election.

In other words, most of the people identifying themselves as Republicans would seem to be "conservatives"...and they're putting the GOP on probation.