Bernie Sanders Takes the Lead

The latest national poll from CNN shows a new leader atop the Democratic presidential primary race, with Senator Bernie Sanders narrowly ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden.

The poll, consisting of 500 respondents surveyed over telephone between Jan. 16 and 19, highlights Sanders with 27 percent support nationally and Biden with 24 percent. The three-point lead is the first time Sanders has held the top spot in a national poll since entering the race.

Since CNN’s last national poll in December, Sanders has skyrocketed in popularity while other candidates have stagnated or declined. After a boost in the polls following a strong showing during the December Democratic debate, Sanders has continued to gain traction despite reports claiming the senator doesn’t believe a woman can beat Donald Trump. Sanders has only continued to climb following the latest January debate, which featured the fewest candidates thus far in the race on the debate stage.

Biden, who has been the clear frontrunner in national polls since entering the presidential race last April, has seen his lead chip away in recent months as Sanders and others gain support. Still, most national polls, including a recent Monmouth poll, show Biden firmly in the lead as the candidates approach Super Tuesday in March.

While she had been trending upward during the last half of 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s support has cooled off entering the new year, with most national polls putting her in a solid third place with 15 to 20 percent support. The New York Times editorial board recently endorsed Warren, along with Senator Amy Klobuchar, so time will tell whether Warren’s campaign will ramp up before March.