The latest poll of likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa from the Des Moines Register and Bloomberg finds Hillary Clinton just two points ahead of Bernie Sanders. The survey of 503 likely participants in the February 1 caucuses found 42 percent support Clinton, the former secretary of state, while 40 percent support Sanders, the senator from Vermont and a self-proclaimed socialist. Just four percent said they support former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley.
The new poll shows a significant drop in support for Clinton among Iowa Democrats in the last month, when 48 percent supported Clinton and 39 percent supported Sanders. January’s numbers represent Clinton’s worst showing in the Register poll since August and Sanders’s best showing since polling of the 2016 Democratic race began.
When combining the percentage of those who list the candidates as either a first or second choice, Clinton and Sanders are at parity, with 72 percent combined supporting Sanders and 71 percent combined supporting Clinton.
The Register poll follows a number of other polls in Iowa showing a close race between the two Democrats, including a Quinnipiac poll that actually showed Sanders leading among Iowa Democrats. According to the Real Clear Politics average of polls for Iowa, Clinton now has a four-point lead over Sanders.
Sanders has long led in most polls of the New Hampshire primary, with the latest showing a 14-point advantage for him over Clinton.
