Voting is underway Tuesday in New Hampshire, the first-in-the-nation primary state where voters go to the polls just days after the disarray at the Iowa caucuses. CBS News exit polls show nearly half of voters (48%) decided on a candidate late, in just the past couple of days.
More than 9 in 10 New Hampshire Democratic primary voters are unhappy with the Trump administration, including 81% who are angry. By a factor of almost two to one (62%-34%), voters say they prefer a nominee who can beat President Trump to one they agree with on major issues.
Tuesday’s results will show whether Pete Buttigieg is able to replicate his strong finish in Iowa here in New Hampshire.
Sanders, who soundly defeated Hillary Clinton here in 2016 and is from neighboring Vermont, has been expected to perform well here. Coming out of Iowa, Buttigieg had a slight edge over him, but there were more individuals who caucused for Sanders than Buttigieg.
After his disastrous fourth-place finish in Iowa, Joe Biden’s polling in New Hampshire dropped off. He opted to leave the state before the polls closed to headline a South Carolina “launch party.”
Elizabeth Warren, like Sanders, is a senator from a neighboring state, and was also hoping to finish near the top here. However, she has also been sliding in the polls, and her campaign issued a memo that appeared to downplay expectations in New Hampshire, while criticizing her opponents and laying out the way forward post-New Hampshire.
The candidate who may be poised to have a good night is Amy Klobuchar, who has been steadily gaining momentum after her dominant performance in Friday’s debate.
New Hampshire polls will start closing at 7 p.m., although poll hours vary by municipality.