Exit poll: GOP voters seek change; Dems want Obama sequel

Exit poll: GOP voters seek change; Dems want Obama sequel

Republicans seem more interested in finding a presidential candidate who is a change agent or shares their values than selecting somebody who can win in November.

Democratic primary voters seem more interested in continuing President Barack Obama's policies than in shifting in a more liberal direction.

Exit polls show Donald Trump piled up victories in Super Tuesday states with strong support from voters who want a candidate who "tells it like it is" and with backing from 4 in 10 voters who want change.

Ted Cruz dominated among those looking for a candidate who shares their values.

[...] Rubio led on electability — but only about 1 in 10 GOP voters put a priority on finding a candidate who can win in November.

Sanders got 6 in 10 voters who are looking for more liberal policies, but only about 3 in 10 Democratic voters felt that way, according to the exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

Trump, who has professed mutual admiration with "poorly educated voters," was favored by 4 in 10 voters without a college degree.

Two-thirds of her voters want to continue President Barack Obama's policies, rather than shift in a more liberal direction.

The surveys were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research as voters left their polling places at 20 to 40 randomly selected sites in nine states holding primary elections Tuesday.

Preliminary results include interviews with 821 to 1,491 Democratic primary voters and 536 to 1,943 Republicans primary voters in each state contest.

In Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas, the results also include telephone interviews early and absentee voters.

The results among all those voting in each contest have a margin of sampling error ranging from plus or minus 4 percentage points to plus or minus 5 percentage points.