Two-thirds of Republicans recognize that the party needs to change in order to do better in future presidential elections, but they’re torn over what that change should be.

That’s the conclusion of a Pew Research Center poll released Wednesday.

And it’s encouraging, right?

Nearly 6 in 10 Republicans believe that they need to reconsider some positions, while just over a third believe that the party mainly needs to make a stronger case for its current positions.

Still good.

But that’s where things get tricky. Fifty-four percent believe that party leaders need to move in a more conservative direction, while only 40 percent believe that they need to move in a more moderate direction.

There’s the deflator. I knew this was too good to be true.

The poll specifically asked Republicans whether the party’s position was too conservative, not conservative enough or about right on five issues: gay marriage, immigration, abortion, government spending and gun policy.