New Hampshire Poll: Bernie Sanders Holds Lead, Pete Buttigieg In Second Place

According to the latest 7News/Emerson College Poll of New Hampshire Democratic primary voters, the seventh Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday did little to change the dynamics of the presidential race. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont has maintained his lead, and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg remains in second place.

Sanders enjoys the support of 23 percent of the New Hampshire primary electorate, with a 5 percentage point advantage over Buttigieg, who is polling at 18 percent. Former Vice President Joe Biden, the perceived front-runner, is — along with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren — currently at 14 percentage points.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar has entered double-digit territory, and now enjoys the support of 10 percent of Democratic primary voters in the Granite State. Entrepreneur Andrew Yang is in sixth place with 6 percent of the vote, and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is backed by 5 percent of the electorate. Billionaire Tom Steyer is at 4 percent, and all the other candidates are polling below 3 percentage points.

Sanders has a convincing lead among younger voters, meaning those under the age of 50. Twenty-eight percent of those younger than 50 support the Vermont senator and 15 percent of them are in favor of Buttigieg and Warren. Biden’s numbers among that demographic remain weak, as he is supported by only 7 percent of younger New Hampshirites.

The race looks quite different among New Hampshire residents age 50 and over. Biden is supported by 21 percent of older voters, Buttigieg by 20, and Sanders by 18 percent of individuals older than 50. Warren and Klobuchar are at 12 percent.

Sanders leads with voters who consider themselves “very liberal” with 34 percentage points, Warren is in second place with 29 percent, and Buttigieg in third with 18 percent. With “very liberal” New Hampshirites, Biden is at 5 percent.

With 26 percent of the vote, Sanders leads among those who consider themselves “somewhat liberal,” and Buttigieg is in second place with 21 percentage points. Warren has slipped to third, as she has the approval of 15 percent of “somewhat liberal” New Hampshire residents. Biden trails her with 13, followed by Klobuchar with 12.

Among “moderate” and “conservative” voters, Biden is in the lead with 18 percent. Second place belongs to Buttigieg, who enjoys the support of 16 percent of self-described conservatives, and Sanders is in third with 15 percent of the vote. Klobuchar is polling at 12 percentage points and Steyer at 8.

“There was not much movement among the top four candidates in the last month, but Senator Amy Klobuchar jumped 8 points and is a competitor in New Hampshire,” Emerson College Polling director Spencer Kimball explained.