Trump to Hillary's Rescue in NH Primary?

[kennetha]

Wouldn't that be rich?

That’s because in the New Hampshire primary, voters who aren’t aligned with either the Democratic or Republican Party can still vote in either party primary. Independents make up 43 percent of all New Hampshire primary voters, a figure that dwarfs the percentage of registered Democrats (who make up 26 percent of the vote) or registered Republicans (who make 30 percent). And political operatives with long experience in New Hampshire politics say that the group tends to decide late not only whom to support, but which primary to participate in. And they tend, in the words of Tom Rath, a consigliere to a host of GOP presidential contenders trying to navigate New Hampshire, “to go where the action is.”

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/08/how_trump_can_save_hillary_just_by_being_his_usual_offensive_self_he_can_sway_the_democratic_primary_vote_in_new_hampshire/

Seriously, what kind of person is torn between voting for Sanders and voting for Trump?

[Jarqui]

1. Trump vs Sanders +20.7; Trump vs Clinton +7.7

I think this favors Bernie in all GOP matchups

[kennetha]

3. Not a matter of matchups

It's a matter of people choosing to vote in democratic primary to vote for Sanders or republican one to vote for Trump. The more independents vote in republican primary the better for Hillary.

[Jarqui]

6. "he more independents vote in republican primary the better for Hillary."

that's true

But:
1. the polls take that into account because that's the first question they ask and they split into answer Dem or GOP questions

2. For those on the fence, I think the matchups help to identify or reinforce how that would go - they tend to favor the Dem candidates and Bernie most of all

[elleng]

2. 'Independents'

[kennetha]

4. but strange ones

[AJH032]

5. Perhaps independents are opting for a GOP ballot not to vote for Trump, but to vote against him?

Food for thought.

[JonLeibowitz]

8. Exactly. My Uncle is a NH indy, and is to my knowledge voting Kasich instead of voting Sanders

For exactly the line of thought you present.

Sad thing is, his vote for Kasich is probably a bigger net positive for this country than 100 votes for Sanders in NH.

[Dawson Leery]

10. Possible.

[flamingdem]

7. They seem a bit .. confused up there in NH

I lived in Vermont and always noticed a difference in the people upon crossing the border. No offense New but really .. choosing between Trump and Sanders? Why doesn't that surprise me..

[awake]

9. I was thinking just the other way around

What happens if a whole bunch of NH independent voters deside to go for Bernie instead of Trump
and Trump then does not get his Win, what would Trump do.

[kennetha]

11. One way or the other

It's strange that Sanders and Trump are sort of in direct competition for votes. I guess these are pro-authenticity, anti-establishment voters, with no coherent ideology.

[senz]

12. I've long suspected Trump would like to do Hillary a favor.

He sometimes appears to be "attacking" her but always pulls his punches in ways he never does for other people. We know he and Hill are friends.

There is something bogus about Trump's candidacy, like he doesn't really want to be president. As soon as he got in the race, he went after Jeb Bush -- this was back when everyone thought the race would be between Hillary and Jeb. Trump took all the air out of Jeb's sails and Jeb has yet to recover. Trump knocked Carly Fiorina pretty hard, too. With the others, as soon as anyone gets too high in the polls, he undermines them.

It is very interesting and counter-intuitive that Trump claims to be against the TPP -- which is a strong Bernie position. This could be how Trump plans to attract Independents who might otherwise go for Bernie.

I do think Trump is playing games with the election and have long had a sense that he wants to help Hillary.

Keep an eye on Trump.

[RobertEarl]

13. That's why H almost won in Iowa

The independents in Iowa voted in the republican primary. And that helped H very much.

What the independents voted for was NOT establishment. So if it were just H vs. Bernie in Iowa, Bernie would have crushed H.

All the pros know this and that is why they are looking at Bernie wide-eyed and in wonder at what he is capable of, and see the doom of the Clinton campaign.

[FrenchieCat]

14. Independents are called that for a reason....

They decline to identify with any particular party. Independents are not monolithic! So this speculative conversation is not saying much...