Final answer:
The exercise's primary goal is b) to assess the influence of party identification on feelings towards socialists, while accounting for the variable of Hispanic ethnicity to uncover potential intersecting effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary objective of comparing NES survey respondents' feeling thermometer scores for socialists by party identification, controlled for Hispanic ethnicity, is d. To assess the influence of party identification while considering the variable of Hispanic ethnicity.
This exercise aims to understand how respondents' political affiliations, specifically whether they identify as Republican, Democrat, or Independent, affect their feelings towards socialists. In addition, by controlling for Hispanic ethnicity, the study endeavors to discern whether the intersection of party identification and ethnic background has any effects on these attitudes.
Such an analysis is integral for political scientists to comprehend the complexities of public opinion and the role of demographic factors in shaping views on political ideologies and figures.