Poll: Voters Have Highest Expectations for Elizabeth Warren Ahead of Debate

Voters expect Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to have the best performance in the fourth Democrat debate in Westerville, Ohio, on Tuesday evening, a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll indicates.

The poll –  taken October 11-13, 2019, among 1,993 registered voters, 860 of which are likely Democrat primary voters – found that 31 percent of voters expect the most from the Massachusetts senator during the fourth Democrat debate and predict that she will perform the best. The same poll – taken in September – only had 19 percent expecting Warren to perform the best.

Biden came in second, with 25 percent of voters expecting the former vice president to have the best debate performance. Both Warren and Biden topped Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) by double digits. Only 12 percent of respondents expect him to dominate in terms of debate performance. The margin of error for the full survey is +/- 2 percent.

While enthusiasm for the debate remains relatively high, with 72 percent indicating that they are “motivated” to watch Tuesday evening’s debate, that is seven percent down from the September debate.

Tuesday’s debate at Otterbein University will feature 12 candidates on the debate stage, making it the “largest televised presidential primary debate ever, regardless of party,” Politico notes. Over half – 63 percent – of respondents believe there are too many people on the debate stage.

Warren’s high expectations follow weeks of a slow, steady surge in both national and early state polls. A YouGovUS/CBSNews poll released over the weekend showed Warren dominating in early states, with 31 percent support to Biden’s 25 percent and Sanders’ 17 percent.

A Quinnipiac University poll released ahead of the Democrat debate told a similar story, showing Warren and Biden neck and neck with 30 percent and 27 percent, respectively.