US: Sanders front-runner to face Trump in elections

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Senator Bernie Sanders has taken the lead with 32% of Democrat voters indicating they would vote for him to face U.S. President Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential race, according to a poll released Wednesday.

The senator from the state of Vermont is now the clear front-runner for the Democratic Party’s nomination after winning the New Hampshire primary last week.

Sanders jumped eight points among Democratic and Democrat-leaning Independent voters since late January, while early front-runner, former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, has fallen in the polls and stands at 17% -- down 11 points to his lowest of the campaign, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who takes the debate stage tonight for the first time in the state of Nevada, has 14% support – up 6. Bloomberg was not on the ballot in the first polls in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

By contrast, there’s been little if any movement for Pete Buttigieg, a strong finisher in both early contests; Amy Klobuchar, third in New Hampshire; or Elizabeth Warren, who fell short in both.

Warren has 11 percent support nationally, unchanged; Buttigieg, 7; and Klobuchar, 6.

Buttigieg and Sanders claimed victory in Iowa in a vote that was plagued with errors and counting inaccuracies.

Biden and Sanders in a Jan. 23 poll received 28% and 24% support, respectively.

According to another poll released Tuesday by Reuters/Ipsos, 25% of registered Democrats and Independents said they would vote for Sanders. Bloomberg was backed by 17%, while Biden received 13%.

Buttigieg has 11% support and 9% percent backed Warren.