"They're looking at recent polls," the Democratic candidate said, "and they're saying, 'Oh my God, Sanders can win."
Iowa voters listen as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt. ) speaks at the Ames City Auditorium on January 25, 2020 in Ames, Iowa. Iowa holds the state's caucuses in nine days on February 3. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
On the heels of a survey showing the Vermont senator with a commanding lead in Iowa, a new poll out Sunday shows Sen. Bernie Sanders with a nine-point lead in early primary state New Hampshire.
According to the CNN poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire, Sanders captured the support of 25 percent of likely primary-goers, up four points since October.
Former Vice President Joe Biden came in second with 16 percent, a point up from October. The poll's margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.3 percent.
The @BernieSanders surge continues. A new CNN/UNH poll of likely New Hampshire among Democratic primary voters has it:
— John Nichols (@NicholsUprising) January 26, 2020
Sanders 25%
Biden 16%
Buttigieg 15%
Warren 12%
Klobuchar 6%
Gabbard 5%
Yang 5%
Rest at 2% or below
Sanders has gone from 19% in July to 21% in Oct. to 25% now.
Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg came in third with 15 percent, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren followed with 12 percent.
Warren was the only one of the four to see her support drop. While Buttigieg gained five points since October, Warren fell six. She did remain primary-goers top second choice candidate, with 20 percent backing her as their number two.
Andrew Yang's five percent on the CNN poll also contributed to his qualifying for the next Democratic primary debate, which takes place Feb. 7 in New Hampshire.
Sanders also came out on top in an NBC News/Marist state poll released Sunday.
In that survey of likely Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire—which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points—the Vermont senator had 22 percent and Buttigieg had 17 percent. Biden (15 percent) and Warren (13 percent) followed.
"Sanders' advantage is bolstered by his strong support among progressive Democrats and younger voters," said Lee Miringoff, the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion.
"His supporters are also far more enthusiastic about his candidacy than backers of his closest rivals," he added.
A day before the New Hampshire polls, a new New York Times/Siena College poll released Saturday showed Sanders leading with the support of 25 percent of likely Iowa caucus voters, ahead of second place Buttigieg who got 18 percent
Live from Ames, Iowa with AOC & Bernie! Tune-in! https://t.co/CpNuXLkldC
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 26, 2020
Speaking at a rally in Ames, Iowa Saturday—an event that also featured Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and filmmaker Michael Moore—Sanders said the polls are putting entrenched interests on edge.
"We're taking on Trump and the Republican Party. We are taking on the democratic establishment, and all across the country, let me tell you that the big monied interests are getting very nervous. They're looking at recent polls and they're saying 'oh my God, Sanders can win.'" pic.twitter.com/yqx3SwYuKp
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) January 26, 2020
The polls come shortly before Iowa's February 3 caucus and New Hampshire's February 11 primary.
