The first exit polls from New Hampshire are out, and they have some interesting nuggets
The early results indicated, among other things, a large turnout of self-identified independent voters, many late-deciding voters, and broad concerns about the economy.
Here are some of the key points, according to results released by CNN, ABC News, and NBC News:
- Half of Republican voters interviewed said they did not make a final decision about whom to support until the last few days.
- On the Democratic side, only about one-quarter said they decided whom to support within the last few days.
- About two-thirds said "recent debates" were an "important factor" in their vote.
- Three-quarters of Republican voters said they were "very worried" about the state of the US economy.
- About 30% of GOP voters described themselves as "very conservative," a noticeable jump from both 2012 and 2008, according to CNN.
- According to NBC, about 42% of Republican voters and 39% of Democratic voters identified themselves as independents. Those results were more comparable to the 2000 open New Hampshire primary than 2008.
- According to ABC, nearly half of Republican voters said they preferred a candidate from "outside the political establishment." That could bode well for real-estate mogul Donald Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, as well as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has a large grassroots following.
- A huge number, about 90% of Democrats, said they thought the nation's economy "favors the wealthy."
- Nearly seven-in-10 Democratic voters identified themslves as "liberal," up from 56% in 2008.