(CNSNews.com) - Self-identified conservatives were a larger share of the electorate in Tuesday's congressional elections than either self-identified Republicans or Democrats or Independents, according to the exit poll conducted for the major television networks by Edison Research.

Of the Americans who voted in U.S. House elections on Tuesday, 41 percent said they were conservatives, 39 percent said they were moderates, and 20 percent said they were liberals.

At the same time, only 36 percent said they were Republicans while 36 percent said they were Democrats and 28 percent who said they were Independents.