March 4: Barack Obama and John McCain have won their parties¡¯ primaries in Vermont.
- posted on 03/05/2008
March 4 exit polls
Introduction
The primaries in Ohio, Texas and Vermont were open to all voters, while in Rhode Island registered independents could choose which party¡¯s primary to vote in.
Democratic primaries
In the Democratic primaries, independents were about one in five voters in Ohio, one in four in Texas, a third in Rhode Island and four in 10 in Vermont.
Republican primaries
Data for Republican primaries were available only in Ohio and Texas. In Ohio, independents were about one in seven GOP voters, in Texas one in five.
Superdelegates
Roughly six in 10 Democratic voters Tuesday said "superdelegates" -- party leaders and elected officials who get to cast votes at the party nominating convention this summer in Denver -- should vote based on results of the primaries and caucuses rather than for the candidate they think has the best chance to win in November.
Even among Clinton's voters, about half said the superdelegates should follow the results of the primaries and caucuses. Obama's supporters were more likely to say so. Clinton is trailing in pledged delegates and, depending on how the remaining primaries go, it's possible her only chance for the nomination is if many superdelegates support her at the Democratic convention.
Fretting about the economy
The economy was big in Ohio Democratic voters' minds. Six in 10 said it's the most important issue facing the country, more than said so in any of the other 25 Democratic primaries with exit polls this year.
More than half of Rhode Island Democrats and nearly as many in Texas picked the economy as the top issue out of three choices.
In Vermont, almost as many voters picked Iraq as the economy - the first Democratic contest this year in which Iraq was considered about as important as the economy.
As in other Democratic primaries this year, few voters Tuesday viewed the nation's economy positively. But Texas Democrats were relatively optimistic, with one in seven saying the economy is in good condition - as many as have said that in any other state.
The trade trade-off
A whopping eight in 10 voters in Ohio's Democratic primary said international trade takes more jobs from the state than it creates. The split was closer to six in 10 in the other three states voting Tuesday.
Worried about finances
Asked how worried they were about their family's financial situation over the next year, two-thirds of Democratic primary voters in Texas and at least seven in 10 in the other three states said they were very or somewhat worried.
Ohio Democrats were most concerned, with four in 10 saying they were very worried.
Hail to the chief
One in seven Obama voters viewed Clinton as more qualified to be commander in chief; fewer than one in 20 Clinton voters said that about Obama.
Who inspires you?
Four in 10 Clinton voters in Ohio and Texas said Obama inspires them about the future of the country. Somewhat fewer Clinton voters in Rhode Island but two-thirds in Vermont gave Obama kudos for being inspirational.
Obama voters were much less likely to call Clinton inspirational -- about a quarter of them said that across the four states.
Vermont is Obama country
Sen. Barack Obama's strong showing in Vermont cut across numerous groups that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton usually wins, including whites, older people and women.
Obama won the votes of 6 in 10 women, nearly two-thirds of whites, and 6 in 10 of those over 60 years old. He won the votes of two-thirds of men.
Ohio's Democratic contest
Preliminary data from interviews with Ohio Democratic voters showed Clinton was getting the votes of two in three white women, a group that has generally supported her heavily but with whom she had slipped to thin margins recently in Virginia and Wisconsin.
She also had the backing of almost six in 10 white men, a group in which Obama had forged solid advantages in recent voting.
Democratic voters in Texas
Texas Democrats were more likely to view Clinton as better qualified to be commander in chief and said she offered clear and detailed plans to solve the country's problems.
They viewed Obama as more inspirational.
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(c) 2010 Maya Chilam Foundation