Pete Buttigieg surged to second place in a poll of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers, ahead of Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The Iowa State University/Civiqs poll released Thursday found 20% said Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was their first choice in the Democratic primary, while Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren led the field with 28% support. Sanders was in third place with 18% and Biden in fourth at 12%. Buttigieg jumped 7 points from the September Iowa State University/Civiqs poll, when he was in fourth place.
“You can attribute some of his momentum to basic retail politics,” said Dave Peterson, an Iowa State professor who organized the poll. “Buttigieg is incredibly well organized and is spending a lot of resources in Iowa. His presence at the Iowa Steak Fry last month was better than any other candidate.”
The poll surveyed a set of 598 individuals used in previous Iowa State University/Civiqs polls and has a margin of error of 5%. The poll took place Oct. 18-22.
A RealClearPolitics average of Democratic presidential primary polls in Iowa also shows Buttigieg gaining support. He is in third place with 15.8% in the average, behind Warren and Biden, up from 11.3% in fourth place a month ago and fifth place with 7.5% two months ago.
The Iowa State/Civiqs poll is a particular blow to Biden, who has spent considerable time campaigning in Iowa, the first-voting state. Biden began campaigning in the state in 1987, during his first of three presidential bids.
