Sanders leads potential 2020 Dem candidates in NH poll

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) leads a field of potential Democratic presidential contenders for the 2020 New Hampshire primary, according to a new poll of likely Democratic voters.

A University of New Hampshire poll released Wednesday shows Sanders with 31 percent support in a hypothetical matchup against other potential 2020 challengers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Vice President Joe Biden.

{mosads}Sanders won the 2016 New Hampshire Democratic primary with 60 percent of the vote, defeating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who eventually won the Democratic nomination for president.

In the poll, Biden came in second place with 24 percent support, while Warren took third place with 13 percent. Other potential challengers, including Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, all failed to break 10 percent.

When voters were not given a list of potential options, the differences were more stark. About 15 percent of likely primary voters mentioned Sanders as a candidate they could support, compared to just 5 percent for Biden and Clinton. Four percent mentioned Warren.

President Trump’s support is also historically weak in the poll. Just under half of likely Republican primary voters said they planned to vote for Trump in the 2020 GOP primary, compared to 64 percent of Democrats who said the same about former President Obama in the same poll taken in October 2009.

The New Hampshire University poll surveyed 573 adults in the state between Oct. 3-15. It carries a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.