Both the other Republican candidates and the pundits should take a close look at those polls, because they raise questions about what we think we know about the Trump phenomenon. Many people, including me, have looked at his support as a sign of dissatisfaction among Republican voters with Republican politicians. That dissatisfaction is indeed widespread, including about half the New Hampshire Republican electorate. But Trump did roughly the same among people who feel betrayed by Republican politicians and those who don’t…

Is his support coming from people who feel they have been losing in the modern economy? He did better among them, sure. But he also won among those who say their family’s financial condition is improving. Is it instead about fear of national decline? It has often seemed that way. But a mood of pessimism does not appear to be a distinguishing feature of Trump voters. He won 44 percent of those who think the next generation will do better than this one — better than his showing among voters overall.

New Hampshire is just one state, but the exit poll numbers coming out of it do not lend themselves to an obvious anti-Trump strategy. Co-opting him on immigration does not seem promising, given that he cleaned up among voters who don’t prioritize it. Saying he isn’t a real conservative may be important for conservatives, but won’t drive down his strong support among moderates. Perhaps, given Trump’s large margins among people who are looking for a candidate who tells it like it is, his rivals should let people know how often the man lies.