The exit poll numbers have updated, and one thing stood out to me: Even with the updates, the number of voters who describe themselves as “very liberal” remains down compared to 2016, while the number of self-described “moderates” is up quite a bit. This might also be a reason why the more moderate candidates did better relative to the progressive wing than in 2016, when Sanders won handily against Clinton.
Ideology: How 2020 primary voters compare to past years
How New Hampshire Democratic primary voters self-identify in 2020 and recent presidential election cycles, according to preliminary exit poll data
| Ideology | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very liberal | 17% | 15% | 20% | 26% | 20% |
| Somewhat liberal | 37 | 32 | 37 | 42 | 40 |
| Moderate | 38 | 45 | 36 | 27 | 36 |
| Conservative | 8 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 4 |