January 29, 2008
Posted: 07:53 PM ET

(CNN) — Florida Republican voters who consider themselves the most conservative were siding more often with Romney, while those who said they were more moderate were leaning toward McCain in early exit polling in the state — a key split between the two GOP frontrunners.

Forty percent of poll respondents who called themselves conservative or very conservative said they voted for Romney compared to 27 percent for McCain, 15 percent for Huckabee and 13 percent for Giuliani.

Among those who said they are politically moderate, 41 percent opted for McCain, followed by 22 percent for Giuliani, 19 percent for Romney and 9 percent for Huckabee.

Among Democrats, both self-styled liberals and moderates were leaning toward New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. She garnered 55 percent of moderates who were polled, compared to 28 percent for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and 15 percent for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards.

Among liberals, Clinton got 53 percent of the vote, with Obama getting 36 percent and Edwards garnering 9 percent of those votes.

Filed under: Exit Polls • Florida


mike   January 29th, 2008 8:04 pm ET

I guess Giuliani will have some explaining to do to his campaign donors. His brilliant election strategy that differed from every presidental candidate over the past several decades somehow failed. I suppose that denial will get him through th next couple of hours but then he'll need to come up with an equally brilliant explanation. Spin baby spin! Way to go dude!

Martha Kira   January 29th, 2008 8:05 pm ET

Here in Florida, we had every candidates' name on the ballots (both Parties). Why are you only reporting the results for three each in the Parties? Where are results for the candidates the media ignored all through the Primary process? (Like Biden who I voted for today even though he dropped out from alck of media attention driving down donations). And I ask again, where are you getting your polling numbers from since Miami Dade adn broward (two biigger counties) haven't reported? Their web site reporting pages aren't even reporting anything yet.
And not only was there not ONE exit poller at my polling place, but no one asked me my race or age so where are you getting that data from?

Jonathan Adams   January 29th, 2008 8:06 pm ET

What a joke.

We already know that Hillary Clinton has more name recognition than Barack Obama. That is all that this election in Florida was - a popularity contest. Barack Obama has shown that when he gets the chance to show the people who he is and what he stands for, he converts voters who thought they were strongly pro-Clinton.

Shame on the Democratic Party for creating this situation in Florida and Michigan, two of the most important states in the national election. If a Republican wins the national election, most of the blame lies with you.

mr.fair tax   January 29th, 2008 8:07 pm ET

GEAUX ROMNEY
HE CAN WIN IT ALL
McCAIN CANNOT!!

paul   January 29th, 2008 8:12 pm ET

Well, something has to be said. So here goes.

"He would never say where he'd compete
Tomorrow just won't matter with today's defeat
While the sun is bright,
Or in the darkest night
No one knows
He comes and goes

Goodbye, Rudy, Tuesday.
Who could hang a name on you?
When Mitt changed with every new day
Still we're gonna miss you."

(after Jagger/Richards)

christine fiore   January 29th, 2008 8:17 pm ET

clinton will win yes she will experience will win in the end it's a long way to go

watching the bush speech last night you could see that they stand too divided
a wall up between sides very bad for this country. why are we giving our country away? who does care? they talk about the new man obama who's new, but the team he must work with are experience people not new. thats why experience should count it always counted

joe   January 29th, 2008 8:25 pm ET

JONATHAN WRONG

BOTTOM LINE CLINTON HAD MORE VOTES THAN OPRAHAMA AND CLINTON

SHE DIDNT CAMPAIGN AND HE DIDNT CAMPAIGN

CLINTON HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF VOTES COMPARED TO ALL PREVIOUS VOTES IN THIS YEAR OTHER PRIMARIES

WATCH OUT FEBRUARY 5TH

HILLARY 08

HILLARY 08

HILLARY 08

HILLARY 08

William Brown   January 29th, 2008 8:28 pm ET

If McCain wins republican nomination, then any democrat will bit him.
McCain is the second Bob Dole.

Rob Mitchell   January 29th, 2008 9:04 pm ET

It was basically name recognition. Of course Hillary only made a big deal because she knew that she would win nearly 2 to 1. It's disgusting, considering she ignored Michigan when it was convenient–she nearly lost to Undecided! Please stop this underhanded tactics because if Hillary wins the nomination, the Democrats will lose the White House for another 4 years.

gottalovem   January 29th, 2008 9:07 pm ET

NO mention of Ron Paul? I guess this confirms what we've known all along, Ron has been a dead duck for years and just didn't know it. So long Ron and good riddance.

Phil N   January 29th, 2008 9:11 pm ET

The beginning of the end tonite for Flip-Flopper Romney. Conservative Repubs can't stand McCain, but he's your only ticket to the White House. He's a good man. Hopefully, tonite's result will start to prove to people that you can't just buy the election, otherwise Romney would be on his way. He's a lying sack…

wendy   January 29th, 2008 9:25 pm ET

Clinton wins hands down. All the way to democratic convention. It is not a beauty contest as it will be a insult to 2+ million democratic voters in florida.

Ian, Eastham MA   January 29th, 2008 9:41 pm ET

gottalovem - Ron Paul didn't compete in FL because it's a winner take all state. What's your problem with him anyway?

You must love paying taxes so we can build the crazy people in Iraq more roads, bridges, schools, and fund their national security. I'm sure they appreciate it and they'll all be singing our praises in the future.

Ron Paul would fair better than all the other so called Republican candidates if he got the media coverage he deserves. Instead, we get excuse after excuse, even though he's beat the Giuliani in every primary.

brian   January 29th, 2008 9:42 pm ET

I thought the RNC outlawed moderates?

curtis in WI   January 29th, 2008 9:48 pm ET

McCain is no Bob Dole. I didn't and wouldn't vote for Dole because I disagreed with too many of his ideas/plans/views — but I was impressed with him in that he was one of the rare candidates that actually seemed to believe in what he said more often than not. I respect that.

McCain was the same way and I had the same respect for him, too, once. Even thought that I might vote for him, unless he came out with something that completely offended me to the core. And he did. He abandoned his independence and courage to become Bush's loyal lapdog.

That's going to hurt McCain bigtime come November.

Murry   January 29th, 2008 10:21 pm ET

It's ridiculous to claim that Hillary won. Of course she "won". She had bigger name recognition. But when Senator Obama has the opportunity to campaign and people get a chance to know him, as they did in IA and SC, they like his message. If Obama had campaigned in FL, millions of young people would've heard his ideas and come out to vote.

Ohio   January 29th, 2008 10:36 pm ET

The far right Conservatives just aren't getting it.
The moderate(McCain) is winning because we are so tired
of all this self-righteous display going on. It's time for it to go.
And if you were honest you wouldn't have to wear your faith on
your forehead–people could see it in the way you act–not
the banners you hold up in front of them.

elf   January 29th, 2008 11:05 pm ET

Jeez. If McCain is someone the moderate Republicans will support, the conservative Republicans must be dropping off the right edge of the earth.

danny   January 30th, 2008 2:09 am ET

this is going to be a re-aligning election, isn't it?

DownriverDem   January 30th, 2008 9:29 am ET

All I can say is, if you like Bush and the last seven years, vote Republican. We will have more of the same and that means more war and domestic neglect.

Think about it!

Ron Paul would never have a chance. He wants to abolish Social Security.

Baby Boomers will not let that happen.

Wake up folks! If we do away with Social Security, the children and grandchildren of seniors will have to take care of them.

Wake up folks! Are you rich enough to take care of your whole family?

I'll vote for whatever Dem is put up!

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