EXIT POLLING DATA LEAKS - North Carolina And Indiana Numbers:




Early reports have a North Carolina race closer than expected. I don't know how much credence I give to these numbers as exit polling data is finicky at best. Voter turnout is going to be massive and Republicans can and will vote in today's races. Details to follow...

The economy was on voters' minds in Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Two-thirds of Democratic primary voters in Indiana and nearly as many in North Carolina said the economy is the most important issue facing the nation. That's more than have said so in 28 previous competitive Democratic primaries with exit polls this year.

Only about one in five in each state said Iraq was the top issue, and even fewer picked health care from a list of three issues.

Four in 10 Indiana Democratic voters said the current recession or economic slowdown has affected their family a great deal. Nearly as many said that in North Carolina.

CROSSOVER VOTING:

Indiana's Democratic primary was open to all voters. About one in five said they were independents and one in 10 identified themselves as Republican. North Carolina's Democratic primary was open only to voters registered Democratic or unaffiliated; nearly one in five voters in that contest called themselves independents.

DEMOGRAPHICS:

The exit poll estimated blacks made up about a third of voters in the North Carolina Democratic primary, about one in seven in Indiana. More than half of voters in both states were women, which is typical for Democratic primaries. About one in seven voters in Indiana and slightly fewer in North Carolina were under age 30; about a quarter in North Carolina and somewhat fewer in Indiana were over age 65.

1 in 10 Indiana voters identified themselves as Republicans!

After digging through exit polling data it looks like Obama will comfortably win North Carolina. My early prediction of Obama by 9 in NC looks strong. Indiana is a close race, according to the exit polls, and there won't be any clear winner right off the bat.

Meanwhile, Barrack Obama HQ's In Indiana Receive Bomb Threats.

MORE: Hillary Clinton, as expected, dominates the white vote in both North Carolina and Indiana. Also, more than 30% of Indiana voters say the Reverend Wright controversy weighed heavily in their decision. Most of those voters sided with Hillary Clinton.

OFFICIAL EXITS: Hillary is up by a margin of 7.5 in Indiana. Obama is up by a margin of 12 in North Carolina. At least one early second round exit has clinton losing Indiana. The Game-Changer is DOA.

SECOND ROUND: Obama takes NC by 15, Hillary takes Indiana by 5.