In New Hampshire, Republicans were just half of voters in their own primary, exit poll shows

[January 24, 2024]   By Jason Lange
 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Some 51% percent of voters in New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary contest consider themselves to be Republicans, down from 55% in the party's 2016 contest, according to an exit poll conducted on Tuesday by Edison Research.

Voters stand in line during New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation U.S. presidential primary election at the Medallion Opera House in Gorham, New Hampshire, U.S., January 23, 2024. REUTERS/Faith Ninivaggi

The poll gathered responses from 2,192 voters in the Republican contest, and poll results were still being updated.

* 43% of voters in the Republican contest - which was also open to voters who are not registered with any party - said they usually considered themselves as independents, largely unchanged from 42% in 2016.

* 6% of voters usually think of themselves as Democrats, compared to 3% in the party's 2016 primary.

* 34% consider themselves moderate or liberal, compared to 29% in the party's 2016 primary.

* 48% of voters had a college degree, compared to 53% in the party's 2016 primary.

* 54% of voters said that if former President Donald Trump were convicted of a crime, he would still be fit for the presidency. 42% said he would not be fit for the office if convicted.

* 51% do not think Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election.

* 19% said they decided who to vote for in the last few days.

* Whites who consider themselves evangelical or born-again Christians made up 20% of voters, compared to 23% in the 2016 primary.

* 75% said the condition of the U.S. economy is not-so-good or poor, while 24% say it is excellent or good.

* 57% said they expect the next generation of Americans to be worse off, compared 33% in the 2016 primary

* 37% of voters said the economy mattered most when deciding how they would vote in the contest, compared to 31% who said immigration mattered most. 12% cited abortion policy and 14% said foreign policy.

(Reporting by Jason Lange in Washington and Alexandra Ulmer in San Francisco; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

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