In the recent New Hampshire GOP primary, the electorate was almost evenly split between voters registered as Republicans and those registered as undeclared, a term used in the state for independent voters. This information is based on the preliminary results of CNN’s exit poll for the presidential primary.
According to the initial findings, about two-thirds of primary voters identify as conservative, with a quarter of them considering themselves very conservative. Meanwhile, approximately one-third of the voters describe themselves as moderates. Exit polls, while not precise measurements, offer valuable insights into the demographic profile and political views of primary voters.
It’s important to note that these preliminary exit poll numbers have not yet been adjusted to match the final primary results. However, they do offer a snapshot of the voter turnout and their political leanings. Interestingly, the majority of voters did not associate themselves with the MAGA movement, the “Make America Great Again” slogan popularized by former President Donald Trump. Furthermore, about half of the voters acknowledged the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the 2020 election, despite the absence of any evidence of widespread voter fraud.
These findings contrast significantly with the Iowa caucuses, where nearly 90% of participants identified as conservative, a label that has been largely associated with support for the former president in this election cycle. Nearly half of Iowa caucus participants identified with the MAGA movement, and about two-thirds questioned the legitimacy of Biden’s 2020 victory.
Key Issues for Voters
Similar to Iowa, New Hampshire’s Republican primary voters were divided between immigration and the economy as their top concerns, with fewer voters citing abortion or foreign policy as their primary issue. The majority, about 70%, described the state of the economy as not so good or poor. Approximately half expressed a desire to see most undocumented immigrants in the US deported to their home countries.
In contrast to Iowa, a majority of New Hampshire voters opposed a federal ban on most or all abortions. The role of the US abroad also divided voters, with about 40% favoring a less active role, 30% advocating for a more active role, and the remainder preferring the status quo.
The exit poll for New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary was conducted by Edison Research on behalf of the National Election Pool. It included 1,565 interviews with Republican primary voters across 40 different polling places. The results for the full sample have a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points, with a larger margin for subgroups.
This story has been updated with additional information.