Polls closed in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primaries. Polls in most of the state closed at 7 p.m. ET and some close at 7:30 p.m. The last polls in the state close at 8 p.m. And in tiny Dixville Notch, which has only a handful of residents, polls opened at midnight and closed a few minutes later after all voters cast a ballot. The field of Republican candidates for president is down to two: Donald Trump and Nikki Haley.
Quick Read
- Polling Dynamics: The polls in New Hampshire had varying closing times, with the last ones closing at 8 p.m. ET. Dixville Notch, a small area with few residents, had its polls open at midnight and close shortly after.
- Republican Presidential Candidates: The primary race is between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley. Trump, as the former president, is seeking a decisive victory over Haley, his former U.N. ambassador.
- Democratic Perspective: The primary is considered unauthorized by national Democrats, meaning its results will not be officially recognized due to non-compliance with party rules.
- Independent Voter Impact: Haley appeared to need a strong turnout from independent voters to counter Trump’s base. Early exit polls suggested she was gaining significant support from these voters.
- Voter Demographics and Preferences: Exit polls indicated shifts in voter demographics compared to 2016. A higher percentage of moderates, liberals, and independent voters turned out, with many leaning towards Haley. Trump, however, maintained a strong lead among self-declared conservatives.
- Election Legitimacy Beliefs: A significant portion of voters (49%) doubted the legitimacy of Biden’s 2020 election win, a belief largely perpetuated by Trump.
- Voters’ Stance on Trump’s Legal Issues: About half of the voters believed Trump would be fit for presidency even if convicted of a crime, indicating strong loyalty among his supporters. Conversely, those who deemed him unfit heavily favored Haley.
- Economic Concerns: The economy was a major issue, with voters split between Trump and Haley. Those more pessimistic about the economy tended to support Trump, while those with a more positive outlook favored Haley.
- Issue-Based Voting Trends: Haley showed strength among voters prioritizing foreign policy and had a less confrontational approach to abortion, gaining her more support in these areas. Trump led among voters concerned with immigration.
- Voter Characteristics: The exit poll revealed shifts in the characteristics of Republican voters, such as a slight decrease in college-educated voters and an increase in those who typically identify as Democrats.
- Late Deciders and Evangelical Voters: A notable percentage decided on their vote in the days leading up to the primary, and there was a slight decrease in evangelical or born-again Christian voters compared to 2016.
- Pessimism About Future Generations: A majority of voters believed that the next generation of Americans would be worse off, a significant increase from the sentiment in the 2016 primary.
Reuters has the story:
Polls are closing in New Hampshire as Trump and Haley aim for a strong finish
Newslooks- MANCHESTER, New Hampshire, Jan 23 (Reuters) –
Polls closed in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primaries. Polls in most of the state closed at 7 p.m. ET and some close at 7:30 p.m. The last polls in the state close at 8 p.m.
And in tiny Dixville Notch, which has only a handful of residents, polls opened at midnight and closed a few minutes later after all voters cast a ballot.
The field of Republican candidates for president is down to two: Donald Trump and Nikki Haley.
Trump, the former president, is hoping for a knockout blow against Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, while Haley is aiming to amass enough support to show she is a viable challenger for the nomination.
Meanwhile, national Democrats were hoping President Joe Biden would not be embarrassed in a contest in which he is not on the ballot. The primary has been deemed unauthorized because it was held in violation of party rules and its results won’t count.
Here are takeaways from the New Hampshire primary:
INDIES TO THE RESCUE?
Haley needed a healthy number of independent voters, who are permitted to vote in the primary, to come out for her to offset Trump’s strength with traditional conservatives.
There were early signs that may have been occurring, based on exit polls from Edison Research.
According to Edison, 37% of voters who turned out considered themselves moderates or liberals, compared to 29% in 2016, when Trump won the primary handily.
Of the 45% percent who called themselves independents, Haley was winning 62% of their vote compared to 35% for Trump. She was winning 76% of those who call themselves moderates.
On the flip side, Trump was dominating with self-declared conservatives, winning them by a 69% to 29% margin.
Nearly half the voters (49%) believe Biden did not win the 2020 election fairly, according to the poll. Trump, who has perpetuated that false claim since he lost to Biden, was getting the vast majority of those voters at 84%.
Half the voters said they believed Trump would be fit for the presidency even if convicted of a crime, the poll said.
Conversely, 47% said he would be unfit, and Haley was earning 84% of those voters. That suggests Trump’s legal problems could hamper him in a general-election matchup against Biden.
Polls don’t start closing in New Hampshire until 7 p.m. ET so voting results were hours away.
GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES
The exit polls showed that the economy continues to be the top concern of voters, with Haley showing surprising strength on the issue.
Of the 34% who said the economy was their top priority, Trump and Haley were essentially tied at 50%, according to Edison. Overall, 69% of voters said the economy was “not so good or poor.”
Those who thought things are in dire straits were more likely to vote for Trump, while voters who believed the economy is in relatively good shape went for Haley.
That makes some sense, given Haley’s supporters tend to be more moderate, educated and affluent. Among voters who said they earned $100,000 or more annually, Haley was beating Trump 56% to 38%.
Trump got 76% of the voters who cited immigration as their top concern.
Haley was doing well with voters who prioritized foreign policy – a focus for her on the trail given her background at the United Nations, thumping Trump 69% to 29%.
And although abortion was not a leading issue for many voters in New Hampshire, Haley, who has often called for a less confrontational approach on the matter, was outpacing Trump 62% to 27%.
Among New Hampshire voters who listed temperament as the top quality they were looking for in a candidate, Haley was crushing Trump 89% to 9%.
Many New Hampshire Republicans see Biden’s 2020 win as illegitimate, exit poll shows
Some 49% of voters in New Hampshire’s Republican presidential primary contest do not think Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election, according to the preliminary results of an exit poll conducted on Tuesday by Edison Research.
The poll gathered responses from 1,565 voters in the Republican contest. Updated results will be available as more responses are gathered.
* 50% of voters said that if former President Donald Trump were convicted of a crime, he would still be fit for the presidency. 47% said he would not be fit for the office if convicted.
* 37% consider themselves moderate or liberal, compared to 29% in the party’s 2016 primary.
* 49% of voters had a college degree, compared to 53% in the party’s 2016 primary.
* 8% of voters usually think of themselves as Democrats, compared to 3% in the party’s 2016 primary.
* 19% said they decided who to vote for in the last few days.
* Whites who consider themselves evangelical or born-again Christians made up 19% of voters, compared to 23% in the 2016 primary.
* 69% said the condition of the U.S. economy is not-so-good or poor, while 30% say it is excellent or good.
* 56% said they expect the next generation of Americans to be worse off, compared 33% in the 2016 primary
* 34% of voters said the economy mattered most when deciding how they would vote in the contest, compared to 31% who said immigration mattered most. 11% cited abortion policy and 17% said foreign policy.
