What is particularly interesting is Alabama. Alabama is an open primary state. Anyone (democrat, republican or independent) can vote in the republican primary. In addition, if there is a runoff in the republican primary, a voter who voted in the democrat primary is allowed to vote in the republican runoff. You may want to revise your statement.
Look it up. And if you were aware, you would know that one of the issues that rub conservatives the wrong way, is the insistence of the GOP establishment to keep the primaries open. The conservatives have begged for decades to close the primaries to only republicans.
There was an attempt in Michigan (open state) this past legislative session to close the primary to only republican voters and it failed to pass.
New Hampshire is an open state. That one state has had more influence than Iowa has ever had in determining the eventual nominee and registered independents can vote in the republican primary. It has driven conservatives crazy since so many independents are refugees from Massachusetts and tend to be more liberal.
You need to broaden your understanding of the issues. My original statement stands.
if primaries are open in almost half the states then that means they are closed in half the states. That means a poll of registered voters that doesn’t take this into account is way off. Perhaps they take this into account — I have no idea. My original comment was that the article simply said “registered voters”.