A CBS News tracking poll released Sunday found that Sen. Bernie Sanders is leading the Democratic presidential field in New Hampshire and tied for first in Iowa with less than a month to go before the first caucuses of the 2020 election.
"The New Year opens with Bernie Sanders in his best standing yet against the field in Iowa and New Hampshire. He's in a first-place tie with Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg in Iowa," CBS reported.
The new survey of registered voters showed Sanders polling at 27% in New Hampshire--2 percentage points ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden--and in a three-way tie at 23% with Biden and Pete Buttigieg in Iowa, where the first 2020 caucuses will take place on Feb. 3.
The poll also found that Sanders supporters in Iowa and New Hampshire are more "enthusiastic" than backers of other Democratic contenders, an indication that they could be more likely to turn out.
"In New Hampshire, 65% of Sanders' backers call themselves 'enthusiastic' about supporting him ahead of all other candidates," CBS reported. "Sanders also leads the field on these two measures in Iowa. Forty-three percent have definitely made up their minds, and 67% feel enthusiastic in a state where enthusiasm can be an important motivator for voters to go out and caucus."
The Vermont senator has attracted more first-time caucus-goers in Iowa than his rivals, according to the survey, with 36 percent of his supporters in the state saying Feb. 3 will be their first caucus.
The CBS survey was conducted between December 27, 2019 and January 3, 2020 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.8 points in Iowa and +/- 5.3 points in New Hampshire.
