Bernie Sanders, the second place Democratic primary candidate, consistently beats front-runner Hillary Clinton in hypothetical matchups against Republican presidential candidates.
According to the Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday, Sanders would lead Trump 49 percent to 41 percent, Ted Cruz 49 percent to 39 percent, Ben Carson 47 percent to 41 percent and Marco Rubio 44 percent to 43 percent.
Clinton only leads Trump 47 percent to 41 percent. She leads Cruz 47 percent to 42 percent, Carson 46 percent to 43 percent and Rubio 45 percent to 44 percent.
The Democratic socialist also has a higher favorability rating than Clinton, Trump, Carson, Rubio or Cruz, whereas Clinton is the only candidate besides Trump with a negative favorability rating. Fifty-nine percent of voters find Sanders “honest and trustworthy” while only 36 percent believe the same of Clinton.
“Some voters still don’t know Bernie as well as Secretary Clinton, but the more they know him, the better they like him,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a statement. “Bernie is generating the kind of excitement and enthusiasm needed for Democrats to retain the White House and elect more Democrats in Congress and state capitals.”
Despite Sanders’ advantages over the GOP and Clinton, the former secretary of state continues to gain ground on the socialist candidate, now leading him 60-30 compared to her 53-35 lead on Nov. 4. Underdog candidate Martin O’Malley continues to trail in third place, with only 2 percent of the Democratic vote. Six percent of Democratic voters remain undecided.
