Former Vice President Joe Biden is in danger of losing his front runner status, as a new survey from Monmouth University shows Biden falling into third place. The poll released Monday showed Biden held 19 percent support, with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders overtaking him with a tie at 20 percent.
The most recent Monmouth University poll showed a double-digit fall for Biden from 32 percent, with a six-point gain from Sanders and a five-point rise for Warren.
NATIONAL POLL: Early #2020Dem preference:
20% @BernieSanders (⬆ 6 pts from June)
20% @EWarren (⬆ 5)
19% @JoeBiden (⬇ 13)8% @KamalaHarris
4% @CoryBooker
4% @PeteButtigieg
3% @AndrewYang
2% @JulianCastro
2% @BetoORourke
2% @MarWilliamson https://t.co/AQcJPs8d22— MonmouthPoll (@MonmouthPoll) August 26, 2019
“The main takeaway from this poll is the Democratic race has become volatile,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, to The Hill. “Liberal voters are starting to cast about for a candidate they can identify with. Moderate voters, who have been paying less attention, seem to be expressing doubts about Biden.”
The poll shows Biden losing support among Democrats who identify as either moderate or conservative. In June, roughly 40 percent of those voters said they backed Biden, but Monday's release saw that number drop to 22 percent. At the same time, both Sanders and Warren have seen a 10-point increase in the same groups.
Despite the drop in support for Biden in the poll, it is not a cause of concern yet for the 2020 candidate. Though the poll saw changes in political alignment, the poll also showed the majority of that change came from states factored in later in the primary process. Murray did however lay out where the momentum from a Biden fall could go if it continues as it shows now.
"This could benefit someone like [Sen. Kamala Harris], who remains competitive in the early states, and could use a strong showing there to propel her into the top tier," Murray said. "Based on the current data, though, Warren looks like the candidate with the greatest momentum right now."
Harris saw no change in her eight percent support, remaining in fourth place. South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Cory Booker are tied for fifth place with four percent support. Andrew Yang, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, and Marianne Williamson received a near two percent support.
The Monmouth University Poll surveyed 298 registered voters who identify as Democrats or Democratic-leaning between August 16-20.