Sanders tops survey of young voters that shows Buttigieg trailing

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is the top choice of younger voters among the candidates in the 2020 Democratic presidential field, according to a new poll that shows former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg tied for last place.

Sanders was the preferred candidate for 32 percent of respondents in the Forbes-Zogby poll of voters between the ages of 18 and 29. Former Vice President Joe Biden follows with 16 percent, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg were tied for third with 9 percent.

Entrepreneur Andrew Yang came in at 8 percent, with Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) tied at 3 percent. Thirteen percent of respondents said they were undecided.

Sanders, 78, is the oldest candidate in the Democratic field. If elected, the 38-year-old Buttigieg would be the youngest and first openly gay U.S. president.

Sanders’s lead in the survey cuts across demographics, including young men, women, whites, African Americans and Latinos as well as self-described Democrats, independents, progressives and liberals.

Survey respondents also prefer every leading Democratic candidate to President Trump by double digits, with Sanders beating him 58 percent to 34 percent. Biden tops Trump 51 percent to 35 percent, and Warren leads the president 51 percent to 36 percent, according to the poll. Bloomberg also leads Trump in a head-to-head match-up, 50 percent to 34 percent, while Buttigieg has a 12-point margin, 47 percent to 35 percent.

“We know from history that the young vote, when harnessed and unleashed, can have huge consequences on the election,” Jeremy Zogby, partner and managing director of John Zogby Strategies, said in a statement. “The Young Voter survey we’re conducting with Forbes is an important barometer of what will happen not only this year but in five- to 10 years, as this young cohort becomes the next wave of leaders in business and society.”

Pollsters surveyed 1,014 adults aged 18-29, including 650 likely Democratic caucus voters, on Jan. 19 and 20.