PBS NewsHour / Marist Poll: Sanders Leads, Bloomberg Qualifies For Debate – NPR, Npr.org

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has opened up a double-digit lead in the Democratic nominating contest, according to a new NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist poll .

Sanders has % support nationally, up 9 points since December, the last time the poll asked about Democratic voters’ preferences.

His next closest contender has 28%. But that second-place rival is former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Many Americans have become familiar with Bloomberg lately in this race because of his ubiquitous TV ads. But now get ready to see him on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday. With this poll, Bloomberg has qualified for the Nevada debate , despite not being on the ballot there for Saturday’s caucuses.

Bloomberg’s campaign has said he will participate in the debate if he qualifies.

To qualify, a candidate needed to have won at least one delegate in the first two contests, have four national polls showing the candidate with % or more or two state polls from either South Carolina or Nevada showing the candidate with % or more support. Bloomberg previously cracked 13% in polls from Quinnipiac University, Monmouth University and Fox News.

Bloomberg, a multi-billionaire, has spent more than $ million of his own money on ads, and despite not competing in the first four states of the nominating process, he’s vaulted now into second place nationally.

The former South Bend, Ind., Mayor is at just 8%, down from 18% in December, not a good sign for the candidate after very solid finishes in the first two contests. Buttigieg is the delegate leader

, one ahead of Sanders. He won the most national delegates out of Iowa and, though he narrowly finished second to Sanders in New Hampshire, they tied with the same number of delegates out of the state.

The poll result is especially inauspicious for Buttigieg heading into Super Tuesday, March 3, in what will be essentially a national primary, with contests and more than a third of all delegates up for grabs on that single day.

The one thing Biden can continue to hang his hat on is how well he does against President Trump. All of the top six Democrats the poll tested beat Trump in a head-to-head matchup, but Biden does best, beating Trump by 6 points and the only candidate to reach % Loading …

Don’t see the graphic above? Click here. Next is Bloomberg, who beats Trump by 4 points, (% to) %; followed by Sanders, (% to) %; Buttigieg and Klobuchar do the same against the incumbent president, 74% to % ; Warren runs about even with Trump, just 1 point ahead, 50% to % .

In this survey, Sanders has broad support. He leads, as expected, with those under 50, progressives, in cities and among those without college degrees. But he also leads with women; college graduates, including white college graduates; in the suburbs and rural areas; and is second with black voters, within the margin of error, to Biden.

Bloomberg leads with moderates and voters over , showing the clear split in the party, and where Bloomberg’s appeal is and might grow if he does well on Super Tuesday. Bloomberg is also second with women, voters without a college degree and in rural areas. He also is third with black voters, showing that if Biden does do well in South Carolina and drops out before Super Tuesday, Bloomberg might stand to benefit.

Two candidates who have to be worried about their lack of support with black voters, especially as the race is about to take a turn to the South, are Buttigieg and Klobuchar. They each get only 4% and 3%, respectively, with black voters. Klobuchar does better against Trump with black voters, with % of African Americans saying they would vote for her over Trump. Buttigieg gets just (% saying they will vote for him.)

In , Democrat Hillary Clinton won