With CNN exit polls suggesting that upwards of 70 percent of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s support in New Hampshire came from people who were not registered Republicans, on Tuesday night, ABC praised that effort on their streaming service ABC News Live. Network reporter Eva Pilgrim lauded those voters for understanding how important their duty was and was excited about other open primaries like those in South Carolina and 11 Super Tuesday states.
Minutes after the polls closed, Pilgrim lionized those non-Republican voters as people on a mission, who understood the assignment, and could decide the entire Republican race:
Those independent, those undeclared voters waiting in line feeling like they needed to do this, that they needed to participate in this primary. So many people we talked to, while they were waiting in line to go into those polling sites, told us that here in New Hampshire, they really take this job seriously. And they recognize that they're the first in the nation primary and that they are the ones who decide the whole thing.
“But what they decide here, they know matters in a big way,” she boasted.
Anchor Linsey Davis wanted to know what Haley’s plan was going forward, and Pilgrim was really excited to explain that it involved leaning on more non-Republican voters to get involved in the GOP primary process.
The main focuses were the open primaries in South Carolina and 11 Super Tuesday states:
You know, in South Carolina, anyone can vote in that primary as long they haven't voted in the Democratic primary. So, she's really hoping to pull those independent, those more moderate voters, those people who just don't want to vote for Trump again. And then look into Super Tuesday, 11 of those Super Tuesday states are open primaries or semi-open primaries, and she's hoping for that same game plan again.
“So, she already has a rally planned tomorrow in her home state of South Carolina,” Pilgrim touted. “And they really think that if they can get a good strong showing here tonight, that they can continue on to South Carolina, on to Super Tuesday.”
“She needs to have a big showing tonight here with those independent undeclared voters,” she concluded.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s Your Voice Your Vote 2024
January 23, 2024
8:05:41 p.m. Eastern(…)
EVA PILGRIM: And a lot of what we saw today you heard Rachel mentioned, those independent, those undeclared voters waiting in line feeling like they needed to do this, that they needed to participate in this primary. So many people we talked to, while they were waiting in line to go into those polling sites, told us that here in New Hampshire, they really take this job seriously. And they recognize that they're the first in the nation primary and that they are the ones who decide the whole thing. And they really felt like they shouldn’t be the ones to decide the whole thing; that other states should also get to weigh in. But what they decide here, they know matters in a big way. Linsey.
LINSEY DAVIS: And what does the path forward look like for Nikki Haley?
PILGRIM: Well, the path forward means going forward, right? So, she already has a rally planned tomorrow in her home state of South Carolina. And they really think that if they can get a good strong showing here tonight, that they can continue on to South Carolina, on to Super Tuesday.
You know, in South Carolina, anyone can vote in that primary as long they haven't voted in the Democratic primary. So, she's really hoping to pull those independent, those more moderate voters, those people who just don't want to vote for Trump again. And then look into Super Tuesday, 11 of those Super Tuesday states are open primaries or semi-open primaries, and she's hoping for that same game plan again.
She needs to have a big showing tonight here with those independent undeclared voters. Linsey.
(…)
