Biden Retakes Lead As Warren Plunges, Buttigieg Rises, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds

https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=3650

Former Vice President Joe Biden has retaken the lead in the Democratic primary race for president as Senator Elizabeth Warren's numbers have plummeted, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University national poll released today. Biden receives 24 percent of the vote among Democratic voters and independent voters who lean Democratic, while South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg gets 16 percent, Warren receives 14 percent, and Sen. Bernie Sanders gets 13 percent.

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who just entered the race, receives 3 percent as do Sen. Kamala Harris and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Sen. Cory Booker, businessman Andrew Yang, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, and Sen. Michael Bennet each receive 2 percent. No other candidate tops one percent. Eleven percent are undecided.

In an October 24 poll, Warren received 28 percent, Biden had 21 percent, Sanders was at 15 percent, and Buttigieg got 10 percent.

"Biden is back on top of the pack but now there is a 3-way race for second. Buttigieg has broken into the top tier, apparently at the expense of Warren, who has taken a dive after being hammered for being too far left on health care and other issues," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

When voters were asked their second choice, Warren came out ahead with 20 percent, Biden got 12 percent, Sanders got 11 percent, and Buttigieg received 10 percent.

Biden continues to dominate on electability, as almost half, 46 percent, of Democratic voters and independent voters who lean Democratic view him as the candidate who has the best chance of winning against Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election, while Warren and Sanders get 10 percent each, and 6 percent say Buttigieg. In the October 24 poll, 42 percent said Biden was the most electable, while 20 percent said Warren, 14 percent said Sanders, and 2 percent said Buttigieg. While Biden's numbers haven't changed much on this measure, this is the biggest drop for Warren among the various candidate qualities asked about.

In today's poll, a plurality, 35 percent, say someone who can win the general election in 2020 is the most important candidate quality in deciding who to vote for in the Democratic primary for president, with 19 percent each for "honesty" and "cares about people like you," 18 percent saying "good leadership skills," and 5 percent saying "intelligence."

A plurality, 26 percent, say health care is the most important issue to their vote, while 21 percent say climate change, and 14 percent say the economy. Health care is an issue which helps Biden, as he gets the vote of 27 percent of those who list health care as their most important issue, followed by Sanders at 19 percent and Warren and Buttigieg at 14 percent each. Climate change is a good issue for Buttigieg as he gets 27 percent of those who say climate change is their most important issue, while Warren gets 18 percent, Sanders has 15 percent, and Biden receives 13 percent.