EXIT POLLS

Alabama Tea Party Supports Santorum, Newt

Romney trails in third.

Will tonight be the night that Newt final exits the stage? Political junkies everywhere are preparing for a late night in Alabama and Mississippi, with Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum jockeying for the top position. Early exit polls show that 81 percent in Mississippi are evangelical, while 73 percent in Alabama identify themselves that way. Meanwhile, two thirds of voters in both states have identified themselves as Tea Party supporters, a number that will surely bump the allegedly “really” conservative Rick Santorum. Of the Alabama Tea Partiers, Gingrich and Santorum are tied with a reported 34 percent of the vote, with Romney trailing in third with 27 percent. CNN reports that in Mississippi, 42 percent of voters say that beating Obama is top priority, while 19 percent are on a search for the “true conservative” and someone with a “strong moral character.” CNN reports that college students in Alabama are giving Santorum a strong boost, as he leads in exit polls 38 percent are in favor of Santorum, compared to 32 percent for Romney.