Buttigieg edges out Sanders, Warren to top new Iowa poll

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) has a small lead in a new survey of Iowa, but Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are close behind.

The latest Iowa State University–Civiqs poll finds Buttigieg at 24 percent, followed by Sanders at 21 percent, Warren at 18 percent and former Vice President Joe Biden at 15 percent. The poll has a 4.9 percentage point margin of error.

No other candidate is polling above 4 percent in the survey.

The results are similar to other recent polls in the Hawkeye State.

The RealClearPolitics average of Iowa polls finds Buttigieg at 22 percent, followed by Sanders at 20 percent, Biden at 18 percent and Warren at 16 percent. Warren has fallen off in recent weeks as Buttigieg has been on the rise.

Warren led the Iowa State University survey from October at 28 percent support but has dropped 10 points in that time as Buttigieg, Sanders and Biden have all gained.

Still, many voters remain undecided, and Warren is the top second choice for voters, at 20 percent, followed by Sanders at 14 percent, Biden at 13 percent and Buttigieg at 10 percent.

Buttigieg leads the field among self-described Democrats at 25 percent and among women at 25 percent. Sanders leads among independents at 28 percent and among men, with 24 percent support.

Sanders does the best among young people, posting big margins over the field among voters aged 18 to 49. Buttigieg leads with voters over the age of 50.

Sanders also has a big lead among nonwhite voters in Iowa at 34 percent, followed by Biden at 23. Warren and Buttigieg are at 11 percent each.

But Iowa is predominantly white, and Buttigieg leads here at 25 percent support, followed by Warren at 19 percent, Sanders at 18 percent and Biden 15 percent.

Buttigieg leads among college graduates and post-graduates. Sanders and Buttigieg are tied among noncollege graduates at 21 percent each.

The Iowa State University–Civiqs poll of 632 likely caucusgoers was conducted from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16.