Donald Trump Should Thank Male Voters for His Indiana Primary Victory
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Donald Trump can thank male voters for his big victory Tuesday night in the Indiana Republican primary.
The billionaire won the support of Republican men by a more than 20-point margin over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and Trump also led Cruz narrowly among women, according to early findings from exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.
On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was drawing the support of black voters and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was attracting younger voters.
The exit polls also show that Democrats say they’re energized and optimistic about their party’s nomination process, while Republicans say they’re worried their party is being torn apart.
Indiana voters also overwhelmingly expressed concern about the state of the U.S. economy. And most say they don’t see much of a fairness issue in the GOP nomination process or much of a difference in the political tactics employed so far by candidates in the presidential race.
Other highlights from the exit polls:
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TRUMP’S BIG WIN
Trump’s outsider appeal helped fuel his Indiana victory. Six in 10 Indiana Republicans said they want the next president to be a political outsider, and those voters overwhelmingly supported Trump.
Trump also was supported by most GOP voters who say they’re angry about the way the federal government is working.
Trump won more than half of voters over 45 and nearly 6 in 10 of those without a college degree.
Half of self-identified Republicans and just over half of independents voted for Trump, as did 6 in 10 Democrats voting in the Republican primary, who made up about 5 percent of GOP primary voters.
Cruz came closer among younger and more educated voters.
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CLINTON REALISTIC, SANDERS HONEST
Clinton was supported by three-quarters of black voters in the Democratic primary, while Sanders drew in 7 in 10 voters under 45.
Voters consider Sanders more inspirational and honest, but they see Clinton as more realistic and electable.
About three-quarters of Democrats consider Clinton’s policies realistic, while two-thirds say the same of Sanders.
More than 8 in 10 say Sanders is honest, while just over half say the same of Clinton.
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DEMS OPTIMISTIC, GOP DIVIDED
Seven in 10 Democrats in the state say they’ve been energized by the nomination contest between Clinton and Sanders.
But nearly 6 in 10 Republicans say they think their party has been divided by the battle being fought by Trump, Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.