A new CNN poll suggests that despite strong financial backing, presidential front-runners Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush are losing their lead among New Hampshire voters.
Clinton is seeing her strong lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) erode, for example.
According to a new CNN/WMUR New Hampshire Primary poll, Clinton has just an eight-point lead over Sanders, with 43 percent of voters supporting Clinton and 35 percent favoring Sanders. Vice President Joe Biden – not an official candidate – has roughly eight percent of the support while former Gov. Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chaffee and former Sen. Jim Webb have two percent or less.
CNN suggests that Sanders’ boost comes from male voters. “Among men, 52% backed Clinton in the May survey, that fell to 32% in the new poll, while 47% now support Sanders,” CNN reported. “And likely Democratic primary voters are now more apt to see Sanders as the candidate who ‘best represents the values of Democrats like yourself.’”
On the GOP side of the poll, results show New Hampshire primary voters are interested in improving the economy – with support increasing for both businessman Donald Trump as well as businesswoman Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard CEO.
The CNN/WMUR poll also suggests real estate mogul Trump is catching up to front-runner former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Bush is in first place with 16 percent support among New Hampshire primary voters and Trump follows him with 11 percent.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) holds support in New Hampshire with 9 percent, Gov. Scott Walker – not yet an official candidate – follows with 8 percent, and Carly Fiorina and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) both have about 6 percent. Dr. Ben Carson and Chris Christie, who is expect to announce next week, come in with 5 percent support.
CNN says the low GOP percentages show the GOP favorite is “far from settled.”
“Twenty-one percent say they don’t know which of the 19 candidates tested in the poll they’d support, and overall, 75% say they’re not committed to any candidate,” CNN reported.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker have each lost support in New Hampshire, paving the way for Fiorina and Trump’s backing to grow.
The CNN/WMUR New Hampshire Primary Poll surveyed roughly 1,010 New Hampshire voters from June 18-24. About 360 of those polled said they plan to vote in the Democratic primary and there was a plus or minus 5.2 percent margin of error.