Bernie Sanders Now Beating Clinton in Iowa

Bernie Sanders was already leading in New Hampshire polls—but now, a Quinnipiac University poll released Tuesday shows him beating Hillary Clinton in Iowa, ABC News reports. The poll finds that Sanders has 49% support from likely Democratic Caucus participants, compared to Clinton's 44% and Martin O'Malley's 4%. That's an increase of 9 percentage points for Sanders and his highest result in any Iowa poll so far, but the lead is still (barely) within the margin of error. It's a drop of 7 percentage points for Clinton since the last Quinnipiac poll in the state about a month ago.

"After three months of Secretary Hillary Clinton holding an average 10-point lead among Iowa Democrats, the playing field has changed," says the assistant director of the poll, adding that "Iowa Democrats like both major candidates personally; they just like Sen. Sanders more." He notes that O'Malley's "handful of supporters could be crucial" if the Sanders-Clinton vote is really close. Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus is on Feb. 1, followed by the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9. Nevada and South Carolina are next, in late February, and ABC News notes that Clinton so far has maintained a "broad lead" in those states. (More Bernie Sanders stories.)