Former Vice President Joe Biden might be the beneficiary of the recent spat between Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., with a new poll showing him far ahead of other Democratic presidential contenders as the Iowa caucuses near.
The Focus on Rural America poll showed 24% of likely caucus-goers favoring Biden, according to Politico. The nearest candidates were Warren at 18%, Pete Buttigieg at 16%, Sanders at 14%, and Amy Klobuchar at 11%.
According to Politico, both Warren and Sanders appear to have lost support in Iowa over their recent spat about a 2018 private conversation in which Warren says Biden told her woman could not win the 2020 presidential race. Sanders denies making the remark.
Pollsters asked respondents if there was a candidate they would not support based on what they saw in the debate: 12% said they would not support Warren, and 11% said they would not support Sanders. Those were by far the highest numbers, with billionaire Tom Steyer coming in next at only 4%.
Klobuchar, a fellow midwesterner, was the favorite to represent the interests of rural Iowa, with 29% of respondents favoring the Minnesota senator.
Most caucus-goers, 75%, said they would shift their vote to another candidate if their first choice were not viable, while 17% would stay uncommitted and 4% said they would just go home.
Here is how the votes shake out among those who would pick a second candidate:
- Biden: 24%.
- Buttigieg: 21%.
- Warren: 16%.
- Klobuchar: 7%.
- Sanders: 6%.
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