Exit poll: Voter resentment fuels Trump, Sanders victories

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders rode a wave of voter discontent with the Washington establishment and deep anxiety over the economy to victory in Michigan's primary election Tuesday, exit polls showed.

Despite their vast differences, both Trump and Sanders were the overwhelming favorites among voters who said the next president should be a political outsider.

Here are some highlights of the exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research:

Sanders' populist theme struck a chord, as more than eight in 10 Michigan Democrats said the U.S. economic system generally favors the wealthy, and just over half of those voters backed the Vermont senator.

Trump continued to draw support from less educated voters, those who favor deporting people working illegally in the U.S. and those wanting a nominee from outside the political mainstream.

Ted Cruz neared or bested Trump among voters describing themselves as very conservative and those who consider it important to have a candidate with whom they share religious beliefs and values.

John Kasich's best showing was among voters with advanced degrees, voters seeking a candidate with experience and those who oppose keeping Muslims who aren't U.S. citizens out of the country.

The surveys were conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks by Edison Research as voters left their polling places at 30 randomly selected sites in Michigan and in Mississippi.

Preliminary results in Michigan include interviews with 1,601 Democratic primary voters, including 165 absentee or early voters who were interviewed by phone before election day, and 1,341 Republican primary voters, including 155 interviewed by phone.

Preliminary results in Mississippi include interviews with 1,038 Democratic primary voters and 1,285 Republican primary voters, both with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.