The voters participating in New Hampshire’s GOP presidential primary on Tuesday demonstrated a departure from the Iowa caucuses, with a less conservative and less party-affiliated electorate, as per early results from CNN’s exit poll. Despite the state’s less evident alignment with former President Donald Trump, GOP primary voters still overwhelmingly supported him over his rival, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Approximately 7 in 10 New Hampshire Trump supporters identified as registered Republicans, showcasing a notable allegiance. A striking 8 in 10 Trump voters expressed skepticism about President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win, underscoring persistent election denialism among Trump’s base. Conversely, Haley’s backers, comprising around 7 in 10 undeclared voters, largely accepted the legitimacy of the 2020 election results.
Trump’s supporters in New Hampshire exhibited early and resolute decision-making, with about three-quarters deciding on Trump over a month before the primary. Most cited strong favorability for their candidate, while reluctance and reservations were rare. In contrast, Haley voters decided later, often in the last month, and a substantial portion attributed their support to distaste for her opponents.
When asked about the qualities they valued in a candidate, around 3 in 10 voters prioritized a candidate who would fight for them or share their values. Trump’s supporters favored a fighter, while Haley’s voters were more inclined to emphasize temperament.
Despite a general dissatisfaction with the country among the primary electorate, Trump voters were notably angrier about the state of affairs than Haley voters. Those feeling their families were falling behind favored Trump overwhelmingly.
Economic and immigration concerns dominated the issues for New Hampshire’s Republican primary voters, with Trump and Haley supporters diverging on key policy points. A significant majority of Trump voters supported deporting most undocumented immigrants, while Haley voters leaned towards providing them with the opportunity for legal status. Differences also emerged on the role of the US in world affairs.
Both sets of supporters opposed a federal law banning most or all abortions, with Haley’s backers expressing stronger opposition. The exit poll, conducted by Edison Research, interviewed 2,029 Republican primary voters across 40 polling places, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points for the full sample.
