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'This Man Can Beat Trump': Sanders Viewed Most Favorably of 2020 Democratic Candidates

New Gallup poll shows Sen. Bernie Sanders has better image than Joe Biden in eyes of Democratic voters

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) walks in the Independence Day parade with supporters in Ames, Iowa. (Photo: Gage Skidmore/flickr/cc)
A new Gallup poll showed that Bernie Sanders is the most favorably viewed contender for the Democratic presidential ticket.

Gallup released the results of the poll on Friday. It was conducted July 1-12, after first round of Democratic debates, and measured 10 Democratic White House hopefuls.

Sanders led the pack, with 72 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters viewing him favorably. Former Vice President Joe Biden followed at 69 percent. Rounding off the top half of the pack were Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 59 percent, Sen. Kamala Harris at 54 percent, and Sen. Cory Booker at 44 percent.

Journalist, activist, and Sanders supporter Shaun King pointed to the polling on Twitter:

With the exception of Bill de Blasio, none of the 10 had unfavorable ratings above 19 percent. The New York City mayor's unfavorable rating was 30 percent, nearly the same as his favorable rating--31 percent.

The new poll also noted a downward trend for Biden.

In Gallup's April poll, Biden was viewed favorably by 80 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leading voters, and by April, the measurement dropped to 74 percent. The new poll's 69 percent rating reflects an 11-point drop over the three-month period.

Looking at more broadly at all U.S. adults' views, both Biden and Sanders were still slightly behind President Donald Trump. Gallup's July poll showed that 45 percent viewed the president favorably, compared to Biden's 42 percent and Sanders's 41 percent.

The new poll came less than two weeks before 20 Democratic candidates will face off in the second primary debates.

As with the first, the second will take place over two days--July 30 and 31.

Unlike the June debates, the upcoming ones will not feature Biden and Sanders squaring off, according to the lineups announced this week by CNN.

Debating on July 30 will be Montana Gov. Steve Bullock; South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former Rep. John Delaney; former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper; Sen. Amy Klobuchar; former Rep. Beto O'Rourke; Rep. Tim Ryan; Sanders; Warren; and Marianne Williamson.

On July 31, Sen. Michael Bennet; Biden; Booker; former San Antonio, Texas Mayor Julian Castro; de Blasio; Rep. Tulsi Gabbard; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Harris; Washington Gov. Jay Inslee; and Andrew Yang will debate.

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