Biden retains lead in national poll

Former Vice President Joe Biden retained the lead in a national poll released Tuesday.

The Morning Consult poll shows Biden amassing the support of 29 percent of surveyed registered voters likely to vote in a Democratic primary or caucus. He maintains a 9 percentage-point lead over runner-up Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) nationally.

{mosads}Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) slides into third place nationally with 15 percent support, followed by South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 9 percent.

But among the “Early Primary State Voters” surveyed, Biden’s lead — 25 percent — shrinks to 5 percentage points over runner-up Sanders. Buttigieg jumps into third with 13 percent support in these states, followed by Warren with 12 percent. 

The former vice president’s lead has dropped to its lowest point since he announced his candidacy in April. Biden’s and Sanders’s support each fell 1 percentage point since last week.

Warren has experienced a 6 percentage-point drop since her highest point from Sept. 29 to Oct. 20. Buttigieg, on the other hand, has risen in the polls 4 percentage points from his stagnant 5 percent status from mid-August to mid-October.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has gained traction in the poll since his announcement to officially enter the race last week, jumping to 5 percent support and tying Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) for fifth place nationally.

Behind them, entrepreneur Andrew Yang has 4 percent, and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and philanthropist Tom Steyer sit at 2 percent each.

Morning Consult interviewed 15,773 registered voters likely to vote in the Democratic primary or caucus. The poll was conducted between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1 and had a margin of error of 1 percentage point nationally and 4 points among early primary state voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada.