No, the title of this post doesn’t refer to candidate who may drop out after a poor showing in today’s NH primary, but to the return of exit polls–and the frantic search for leaked exit poll data–now that we are into primary season. Fortunately, Mark Blumenthal of Pollster.com reminds us that reforms in the exit poll distribution system in 2006 are still in place, which makes it unlikely that you’ll be reading any purported exit poll numbers until early this evening.
That will be a big change from 2004. On NH primary day of that year, a mid-day LA Times exit poll showing Howard Dean narrowly ahead of John Kerry produced all sorts of hysteria, and led Kerry himself to rush onto the streets of Manchester to wave at passing cars in an effort to snag some more votes. Kerry won comfortably in the end, but probably aged a year that afternoon.