Exit poll: Clinton expands base, Trump sells outsider image

WASHINGTON -- Hillary Clinton held on to older people and ate into Bernie Sanders' support among the 30-to-44 crowd on Super Tuesday as her rival claimed a clear advantage with only one age group: his devoted younger-than-30 followers.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump and his mad-as-hell message pulled in nearly two-thirds of voters looking to install an outsider in the White House. Those more interested in a candidate with political experience? They split about evenly between first-term senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, according to exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

Other highlights from the exit polls:

• Nine in 10 of Trump's voters are looking for an outsider. Half are angry with the government. Nearly as many want a candidate willing to "tell it like it is." Four in 10 said they were born again, cutting into Ted Cruz's efforts to claim the evangelical vote. Trump, who has professed mutual admiration with "poorly educated voters," was favored by half of voters without a college degree. His followers are nothing if not loyal: Six in 10 of his voters made up their minds more than a month ago.
• More than 90 percent of Clinton's voters want an insider, and nearly half say experience is the quality they are looking for in a candidate. Two-thirds of her voters want to continue President Barack Obama's policies, rather than shift in a more liberal direction. And, just as with Trump, 60 percent of her backers made up their mind more than a month ago. Two-thirds of her supporters are women, and two-thirds are 45 or older.
• GOP voters across the nine Super Tuesday primary states were in a sour mood toward Washington. If they weren't angry, they were dissatisfied: At least 8 in 10 Republican primary voters had negative thoughts toward Washington. Democrats were less critical: 60 percent had negative opinions about the federal government.
• Oklahoma turned out to be a rare bright spot for Sanders beyond his home base of Vermont. Sanders claimed 8 in 10 voters younger than 30, and 7 in 10 of those ages 30 to 44.