Poll: Biden, Sanders Lead in New Jersey Democrat Primary

Joe Biden (D) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) are leading in the New Jersey Democrat primary, an Emerson College poll released Monday revealed.

The poll, taken January 16-19, 2020, among 388 Democrat primary voters showed the former vice president leading the field with 28 percent support. Sanders fell three points behind with 25 percent, putting Biden’s lead within the 4.9 percent margin of error.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) came in third place with 15 percent, followed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (D), who garnered nine percent support. Emerson College Polling Director Spencer Kimball noted his performance as “the highest we have seen for the former New York Mayor in any state poll this year.”

“If his late start strategy is going to work, he will need to perform well in delegate-rich states such as New Jersey at the end of the nomination season,” Kimball said.

Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) and Andrew Yang (D) followed with six percent each. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who, along with Warren, scored an endorsement from the New York Times, garnered just four percent in the poll. No other candidate saw above three percent.

Less than half of those surveyed, 48 percent, indicated that they will “definitely” vote for the candidate they have chosen, while 52 percent said they may change their mind by the time the state’s June 2 primary rolls around.

More via Emerson:

While the Democratic primary race appears to be split, a majority of voters (55%), indicate they expect Biden to be the nominee. Sanders is the next expected choice at 22%, and Warren is at 10%. Of those voting for Biden, 84% expect him to be the nominee, with only 4% of Biden’s voters think Sanders will be the nominee. A majority of those (57%) voting for Sanders expect him to be the nominee, followed by 35% who believe Biden will get the nomination. A plurality of Warren voters, 42%, think Biden will be the nominee.

Iowa officially kicks off the Democrat race on February 3.