A new NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll released Friday morning, just three days before the crucial Iowa caucuses has shown a huge jump in Sanders’ national support, with the Vermont Senator now leading the field with 27 percent, up 6 points from December, with pollster Peter Hart describing Sanders’ candidacy as “formidable”.
In a reflection of the growing traction Sanders’ message is getting, both Joe Biden (26 percent) and Elizabeth Warren (15 percent) have seen drops in support. The only other candidate to have gained significantly is the billionaire ex Republican mayor of New York City Mike Bloomberg, up 5 percent to 9 percent, having spent up big on around $230 million worth of advertising.
In a further boost for Sanders, the poll also shows that Sanders’ supporters are the most loyal of the major contenders, with 60 percent of his backers saying they will support the Vermont Senator.
Another figure, reflective of the disconnect between the Democratic establishment and average voters is the view of Sanders’ candidacy, with just 12 percent saying they were very uncomfortable with his candidacy, a figure comparable to other leading candidates.
