After a vote counting process fiasco in Iowa caucus, Democratic presidential candidates go to New Hampshire primary on Tuesday in a contest that may provide some clarity who emerges on the top of the party hopefuls.
Senator Bernie Sanders, who finished a close second to soaring former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg after an updated Democratic Iowa result card, is leading in several polls.
The Vermont senator also heads an average of major forecasts of voters’ trends on the eve of the New Hampshire primary.
Compiling an average of Boston Globe/Suffolk, Emerson, CNN/UNH, CBS News/YouGov, Boston Herald/FPU, NBC News/Marist and Monmouth polling data, Real Clear Politics finds Sanders securing an average of 26.6 % of New Hampshire vote.
Buttigieg emerges as second in the average of polls data with 21.3% vote. Party stalwarts Senator Elizabeth Warren and former vice president Joe Biden trail with averages of 13.1 and 12.9 respectively in a continuing dilemma for the Democratic establishment.
Just four years ago, the establishment said our ideas were “too radical.” Now millions of people are standing together in the struggle for justice. Join us in Keene, NH with @twiddlemusic and @Sunflower_Bean: https://t.co/njfsYrm8zt
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 10, 2020
FiveThirtyEight website predicts Sanders to win New Hampshire primary win an average of 28% the vote in the state as well as an average of 11 pledged delegates out of 24 (8 to be determined on statewide vote and 16 based on the vote in its congressional districts).
The agendas underpinning the polls data remain diverse, with Sanders’ radical departure from somewhat static Democratic ideas find the greatest appeal among young voters, particularly including diverse communities.
However, Sanders’ rise makes Democratic establishment nervous as leaders fear that President Donald Trump could exploit the socialist tag attached to the senator’s revolutionary agenda.
Meanwhile, the Democratic contenders have stepped up attacks against one another ahead of the New Hampshire primary.
Sensing alienation among voters, Biden targeted up-swinging Buttigieg, saying he is no Barack Obama. Firing back at the former VP, Buttigieg said neither is Biden an Obama.
Sanders is also on the offensive against Buttigieg, who notably lacks support among African Americans due to his past statements about the community.
I know there are a lot of folks who want to write our campaign off already — but I’ve got news for them: We’re not going anywhere. There's too much at stake in this election.
I will fight for every last vote, but I can't do it without you. Chip in today: https://t.co/hTbAPI8Nkq
— Joe Biden (Text Join to 30330) (@JoeBiden) February 10, 2020
“If you do, as Mayor Buttigieg does, take huge amounts of contributions from the CEOs of the pharmaceutical industry, from financiers in the fossil fuel industry, from the insurance companies, from Wall Street, does anyone seriously believe that you’re going to stand up to those powerful entities and represent working people?” Sanders questioned in an appearance in Fox News Sunday program with host Chris Wallace.
Buttigieg did not contradict Sanders’ statement on sources of his financial backing and indicated in comments to CNN that he would remain open to all kinds of finances.
“Bernie’s pretty rich, and I would happily accept a contribution from him.This is the fight of our lives. I’m not a fan of the current campaign finance system, but I’m also insistent that we have got to go into this with all of the support we can get.”
