WASHINGTON (AP) — The Associated Press surveyed voters in the three states that held Democratic presidential contests on Tuesday. Here’s a snapshot of voters in Arizona, Florida and Illinois — who they are and what matters to them — based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast. Conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago, AP VoteCast surveys took place over seven days, concluding as polls closed.
ARIZONA
A slim majority of Arizona’s Democratic primary voters say they prefer a candidate who will pursue practical, centrist policies over one proposing bold, liberal policies. Somewhat more say they would be satisfied if Joe Biden were the nominee, compared with Bernie Sanders, 74% to 66%.
But fully 81% say they would vote for either the former vice president or the Vermont senator in the general election.
Sanders has so far drawn strong support from Latino voters — a group that makes up about 30% of Democratic primary voters in Arizona. Close to half of voters are liberal.
About a third say they are members of a gun-owning household in the state, where a leading gun control advocate — astronaut Mark Kelly — is running in the Democratic primary on Tuesday for the late John McCain’s Senate seat. Few Democratic primary voters identified gun policy as the top issue facing the country; health care, followed by climate change and the economy, was considered most important.
In assessing who is best on health care, voters are roughly split between the two candidates. More consider Sanders most capable on climate change, while Biden has the edge on handling immigration.
In the border state, roughly a third say they favor increasing security along the U.S.-Mexico border, compared with two-thirds who are opposed.
FLORIDA
During a pandemic that has stunted travel, closed schools, forced millions of workers to stay home and canceled campaign rallies, voters in Florida’s Democratic primary expressed measured concerns about the coronavirus. About 4 in 10 said they are very concerned that they or a relative will get the virus. Roughly as many are somewhat concerned, while just 2 in 10 expressed little to no concern.
Close to half named health care the most important issue facing the country — about on par with voters in many of the earlier contests as well.
Democratic primary voters in the battleground state strongly believe Joe Biden could fare well against President Donald Trump: 84% think the former vice president could definitely or probably win the general election. A smaller majority, 58%, think Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders could likely beat the incumbent president.
ILLINOIS
In Illinois, a wide share of Democratic primary voters — about three-quarters — say they are likely to vote for Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders if either is the nominee facing Trump in November. Some — 13% — say they would vote for Biden, but not Sanders; eight percent say they would vote for Sanders, but not Biden.
More than 8 in 10 say it’s very important that the nominee can beat Trump and that he is a strong leader.
The two candidates fare about the same in the eyes of voters as best able to handle corruption in government, as well as health care, considered the top issue facing the nation.
More think Biden than Sanders would be more capable of handling issues related to race and the economy.
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AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The surveys were conducted for seven days, concluding as polls closed.