The media does not realize there’s a big difference between “independents” and “moderates”.
Many independents are republican voters but refuse to join the party because it’s not conservative enough for them and/or too much like the democratic party.
“Moderate” is the correct term to describe those who are turned off by a party that’s too critical. Personally, anybody with that trait is likely to vote for the most liberal candidate of the two anyways.
While many of the moderates may be registered independents (I think that number is much smaller than the media would have us believe) not all independents are moderates.
In this day and age I’d be willing to bet the most independents are conservatives who are sick of the GOPe.
You must not be from New England. There, independents are pretty much just Democrats who don’t vote regularly.