Sanders opens up large lead ahead of Colorado primary: poll

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has a double-digit lead in Colorado over his fellow Democratic presidential candidates ahead of the state’s Super Tuesday primary election, according to a new poll released Wednesday.

Sanders, who won the 2016 Colorado caucus, garnered support from 27 percent of Democratic and unaffiliated likely primary voters in the poll conducted by Magellan Strategies. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) trailed Sanders by 12 points with 15 percent support from poll respondents.

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) received 12 percent support from those polled, finishing just 1 point ahead of former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg and former Vice President Joe Biden. 

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) received 6 percent support from the voters polled.   

Fifteen percent of voters said they remain undecided, and businessman Tom Steyer and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) each received 1 percent support in the poll. 

Sanders led Warren by 21 percentage points among those who consider themselves “very liberal,” according to the poll. Among those who consider themselves “somewhat liberal,” Sanders led the Massachusetts senator by 8 points.

Among those who consider themselves “moderate,” Sanders led Buttigieg and Bloomberg by just 1 percent, and he led Biden by 4 percent. However, the margin of error along this group was 7.5 points, putting all of the candidates in close competition.

Sanders led Warren by 29 points among voters ages 18 to 44, receiving 49 percent support to Warren’s 20 percent. All of the other candidates received 6 percent support or less, and 7 percent said they were undecided.  

Sanders tied Buttigieg at 20 percent support among voters ages 45 to 65, with Warren receiving 18 percent support. Among voters 65 and older, Bloomberg led the pack at 19 percent support, followed closely by Biden at 18 percent.

Fifty-seven percent of survey respondents said it was “most important to choose a candidate who can win in November,” beating President Trump, while 36 percent “prioritize shared values and personal beliefs.” However, among voters ages 18-44, 52 percent prioritized values above defeating the president.

The poll was conducted Monday and Tuesday. It polled 500 people, including 350 Democratic voters and 150 unaffiliated voters, with a margin of error of 4.38 percentage points.