Poll: Biden holds 7-point lead over 2020 Democratic field

Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a 7-point lead over a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates in a new poll. 

The Emerson poll found that 34 percent of Democratic primary voters surveyed support Biden, who is trailed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at 27 percent. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) had 14 percent support, followed by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) with 7 percent, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) with 6 percent and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) with 3 percent. 

The other candidates polled at 1 percent or lower. A majority of respondents — 56 percent — said they might change their vote, and 85 percent said they planned to watch the upcoming Democratic debates.{mosads}

“Similar to our other polls, Biden and Sanders voters are the most loyal with 50% to 55% saying they are set on their candidates,” said Emerson Poll Director Spencer Kimball in a statement. 

“Comparatively, 33% of Warren, 18% of Harris and 17% of Buttigieg voters say they will stick with their current choices, this suggests that about 30% of the Democratic electorate are spoken for and another 30% leaning toward the top two candidates as of now leaves a narrow lane for another candidate to grab a plurality of the vote,” Kimball added.  

Researchers collected data between June 21 and 24 and the responses of Democratic primary voters have a 4.5 percentage point margin of error. 

More than two dozen people are vying for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Twenty of them will participate in the first Democratic debates this week.