Bernie Sanders’s Secret Weapon
The senator’s strength among non-Democrats could seal his victory in New Hampshire and in many other states that hold open primaries.
If Senator Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic primary in New Hampshire on Tuesday, it’ll likely be thanks to voters who are—like him—not actually Democrats.
The Vermont senator’s lead in several public polls is bolstered by his strong support among independent, or undeclared, voters, who are welcome to participate in New Hampshire’s primary and could make up as much as 40 percent of the electorate.
Beyond New Hampshire, Sanders’s advantage among independent voters could be his secret weapon in the many large, delegate-rich states that allow them to cast ballots in the; in New Hampshire, he won nearly three-quarters of them, which made up the bulk of his 20-point margin of victory.
