According to the initial results of CNN's exit poll for Ohio's Republican presidential and Senate primaries, a majority of Ohio's GOP primary electorate places great importance on their next US senator showing support for former President Donald Trump. The poll highlights the extent to which the Republican Party has aligned itself with Trump's influence, as well as the potential impact of Trump's endorsement power in a contested Senate race.

Approximately 7 in 10 Republican primary voters in Ohio believe that it is at least somewhat important that the next senator supports Trump as the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. More than half of the respondents, over half, consider it very important. Furthermore, nearly 8 in 10 primary voters express approval of Trump's job performance during his time in the White House, with about two-thirds believing that a hypothetical second Trump term would be better than his first.

Surprisingly, around two-thirds of the surveyed voters indicate that they would still consider Trump fit for office even if he were to be convicted of a crime. This sentiment reflects the strong loyalty that many Republicans hold towards the former president. Additionally, only about one-third of respondents recognize President Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election as legitimate.

The primary race serves as the first test of Trump's endorsement power in a contested Senate race this year. The winning candidate of the GOP nomination will face off against Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, and the outcome could potentially shape the balance of power in the Senate. Brown is one of two Democrats seeking reelection in a state that Trump carried twice.

An analysis of the polling data reveals that nearly 8 in 10 voters supporting businessman Bernie Moreno, who is Trump's preferred candidate, consider it of utmost importance that Ohio's next senator backs Trump. In contrast, loyalty to Trump is deemed similarly important by only about half of those supporting Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and fewer than one-third of those backing state Sen. Matt Dolan.

The exit poll, though providing valuable insights into the demographic profile and political views of primary voters, should be considered an estimate rather than a precise measurement of the electorate. The preliminary set of exit poll numbers is yet to be weighted to match the final results of the primary.

Key findings from the exit poll also indicate that Ohio's GOP Senate primary voters are split between viewing the Republican Party as either insufficiently conservative or ideologically balanced. Only about one-fifth of respondents consider the party too conservative. However, an overwhelming 8 in 10 voters describe themselves as conservatives.

Regarding immigration policy, approximately three-quarters of Ohio's GOP primary voters believe that undocumented immigrants in the US should be deported rather than being offered a chance to apply for legal status. Moreover, on the issue of abortion, the majority of primary voters in Ohio are more likely to favor a nationwide ban on most or all abortions, which diverges from the stance of GOP presidential primary voters in California, Virginia, and New Hampshire.

The exit poll also reveals that few Ohio GOP primary voters view the nation's economy as excellent or good. However, about three-quarters express that they are either holding steady or making progress financially. As for the overall perception of the country, about 9 in 10 primary voters express dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, with approximately 4 in 10 describing themselves as angry about the nation's condition.

Conducted by Edison Research on behalf of the National Election Pool, the exit poll includes interviews with 1,197 Republican primary voters, comprising both Election Day voters and those who voted early or absentee. Election Day interviews were conducted across 30 different polling places, while pre-election interviews were conducted from March 8th to 16th using various means of communication such as telephone, email, and text messaging. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points, with larger margins for subgroups.