Trump, Sanders gaining ground in NH

Republican front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders are seeing increased support atop their parties’ respective fields in New Hampshire, according to a new Franklin Pierce University-Boston Herald poll.

Trump holds a 25-point lead over his closest rival, Ted Cruz, according to Sunday’s poll. He has 38 percent of support among likely GOP primary voters, with Cruz taking only 13 percent. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio follow with 10 percent. Ohio Gov. John Kasich comes in fifth place with 8 percent. 

Trump had 33 percent support in a similar poll a week ago.

But 44 percent of Republican primary voters said in the poll they could still change their minds about their choice of candidate. Still, 57 percent of Republican primary voters in New Hampshire believe Trump will be the nominee, according to the poll.

In the Democratic race, Sanders hold a 20-point lead over Hillary Clinton among likely Granite State primary voters, according to the poll. Sanders has 57 percent support over Clinton’s 37 percent. Sanders’s support is is 2 points higher than last week’s poll.

About 78 percent of likely primary voters said they won’t be changing their minds about their decision.

The polls, conducted between Jan. 26-30, have a 4.7 percent margin of error for Republicans and 4.9 percent margi of error for Democrats.

Sanders and Trump also hold large leads in the RealClearPolitics average of polls in New Hampshire. Trump has an 18.2 point lead, with 31.4 percent support, over John Kasich, who has only 13.2 percent. Sanders holds a 14.3 point lead over Clinton in the RealClearPolitics average, taking 53.7 percent of the vote compared to Clinton who only has 39.4 percent.