Former Vice President Joe Biden leads Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) by a two-to-one margin in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire, according to a new poll.
The Monmouth University survey released today found Biden winning 36 percent support, followed by Sanders at 18 percent. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) is at 9 percent support, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) at 8 percent and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) at 6 percent.
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas) and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) are each at 2 percent support, followed by former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio) and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang at 1 percent each.
The poll suggests Democrats are focused on picking the candidate who can defeat Trump.
Sixty-eight percent of voters said they want to nominate someone who can beat Trump, even if they disagree with the candidate on the issues.
Biden also has the best favorability rating in the survey, at 80 percent positive and 15 percent negative.
Sanders rings in at 73 percent favorable and 15 percent unfavorable.
Biden is mopping up among older voters, with 53 percent of those 65 and older backing the former vice president, compared to only 9 percent for Sanders.
Biden also leads Sanders 36 percent to 19 percent among those between the ages of 50 and 64.
Sanders does better with younger voters, leading Biden 27 to 20 among those under the age of 50.
Fifty-eight percent of likely Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire describe themselves as moderates or conservatives, and Biden leads Sanders 45 percent to 10 percent among this group.
Sanders leads Biden 29 percent to 23 percent among self-described liberals.
Biden has sought to highlight his time as vice president under former President Obama, and the Monmouth poll provides evidence that could help him win over New Hampshire Democrats.
Thirty-four percent said nominating someone who will build on Obama’s legacy is very important to them, while 38 percent said it is somewhat important. Just 21 percent said it is not important at all.
The Monmouth University survey of 376 likely Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire was conducted from May 2 to May 7 and has a 5.1 percentage point margin of error.