Bernie Sanders Leads In New Hampshire, Tied For First In Iowa In New Poll
A new CBS News Battleground Tracker poll puts the Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in his best position yet in Iowa and New Hampshire.
In Iowa, Sanders is in a first-place tie with Vice President Joe Biden and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg with 23 percent support. In fourth is Elizabeth Warren with 16 percent support, and in fifth is Amy Klobuchar with 7 percent support. In New Hampshire, Sanders leads the pack with 27 percent support, with Biden trailing at 25 percent and Warren with 18 percent. In fourth is Buttigieg with 13 percent support, and in fifth is Klobuchar with 7 percent.
The poll also reveals that Sanders’ support is more steady compared to other candidates, with 47 percent of his New Hampshire voters claiming to have made up their minds in terms of their vote. Conversely, just 15 percent of Biden’s backers feel the same way. In the same state, 65 percent of Sanders’ supporters say they are “enthusiastic” about their choice.
In Iowa, 43 percent of Sanders’ backers say they have made up their minds, and 67 percent feel enthusiastic about choosing the 78-year-old politician. In addition, Sanders has more first-time caucus-goers than other frontrunners, with 36 percent of his supporters saying it’s their first caucus, compared to Buttigieg’s 25 percent and Biden’s 24 percent.
“But neither Biden’s nor Buttigieg’s backers are as committed to their first choice as are Sanders’ supporters,” the report reads. “And past caucus participation is by no means a perfect predictor of future participation from one election cycle to the next.”
CBS POLL: @BernieSanders is in a *literal* three-way-tie with @JoeBiden and @PeteButtigieg in Iowa. Sanders holds a narrow lead in New Hampshire. (The margin of error +/- 3.8 points in Iowa and +/- 5.3 points in New Hampshire.) pic.twitter.com/xIDR2gpmQq
— Stephen Sanchez (@SSanchezTV) January 5, 2020
Democratic insiders have reportedly expressed their belief that Sanders could win the nomination. According to Dan Pfeiffer, who advised former President Barack Obama, Sanders has a serious chance at securing the nomination.
“I believe people should take him very seriously. He has a very good shot of winning Iowa, a very good shot of winning New Hampshire, and other than Joe Biden, the best shot of winning Nevada. He could build a real head of steam heading into South Carolina and Super Tuesday.”
Sanders is currently second in overall polling average behind Biden. CNN reports that Sanders leads in overall fundraising, with his $34.5 million fourth-quarter haul putting him at a total of nearly $100 million, which no other candidate is close to matching. Buttigieg is reportedly closest, with almost $75 million for the year. Biden lags behind at about $60 million in the primary overall, raking in $22.7 million in the fourth quarter.
As for endorsements, Biden leads with 33 from members of Congress and governors, compared to Sanders’ six.
