Christians Dominate Day’s Republican Voting

WASHINGTON (AP) — Early results of voter exit polls in Republican presidential primaries in Mississippi and Alabama show born-again and evangelical Christians dominating the contests with unusually high numbers.

About 8 in 10 Mississippians participating in Tuesday’s contest were white evangelical or born-again Christians, a larger share than any state so far where voters have been polled. White evangelical or born-again Christians accounted for nearly three-quarters of those surveyed in Alabama.

As in every state so far, the economy was the top issue on voters’ minds, with just over half in each state naming it as their foremost concern.

And around 4 in 10 in both states cited the ability to defeat President Barack Obama in the November election as their main concern for selecting a candidate.