As the New Hampshire primary gets underway, early exit numbers are providing insight into the composition of the Republican electorate in the state. These figures reveal a stark contrast to the political landscape seen in Iowa just a week ago. Among New Hampshire Republican primary voters, 24% identify as very conservative, 39% as somewhat conservative, and 31% as moderate. In comparison, only 9% of Iowa caucus participants identified as moderate. The majority of voters in the New Hampshire primary, at 47%, are undeclared or independent, with 49% registered as Republicans.
One notable trend is the lower participation of those aligned with the 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) movement. Currently, only 32% of Republican voters in the primary consider themselves part of the MAGA movement, while 64% do not. This represents a significant shift from the close split observed among Iowa Republican caucus goers. Additionally, the perception of the legitimacy of the 2020 election appears to be divided evenly among New Hampshire primary voters, in contrast to the two-thirds majority in Iowa who believed Joe Biden was not legitimately elected.
