New poll finds four-way race in New Hampshire

Four Democratic presidential candidates have emerged in a four-way race for the New Hampshire vote, according to a new poll. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has a slim lead in the state he carried in 2016, with 16 percent support, according to a Suffolk University–Boston Globe poll released Tuesday. 

He’s closely trailed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), with 14 percent, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D), at 13 percent, and former Vice President Joe Biden, at 12 percent, who all fall within the 4.4 percentage point margin of error. 

Buttigieg is the only candidate in the top four who has gained support since an August poll from Suffolk University–Boston Globe, up 7 points. Biden saw the biggest drop, at 9 points, and Sanders’s support decreased by 1 point. Warren’s support did not change in those three months, based on the poll. 

Older voters, who have been more reluctant to embrace the progressive policies proposed from Sanders and Warren, shifted their support from Biden to Buttigieg, based on the poll. Among voters over 65 years old, Biden’s support dropped from 28 percent to 12 percent, whereas Buttigieg’s support with the same cohort increased to 17 percent from 2 percent. Buttigieg now leads the field among older voters in the Granite State, based on the poll. 

The poll also found that New Hampshire voters are reluctant to consider former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a latecomer to the Democratic race. Only 1 percent said they would vote for him in the primary, and 50 percent said they won’t consider him because he waited too long to enter the race. 

The poll did not ask about former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who announced his candidacy on Nov. 24. Bloomberg has said he will skip New Hampshire’s February primary. 

The poll surveyed 500 likely New Hampshire Democratic primary voters. It was conducted Nov. 21 to Nov. 24.