Poll: Clinton's 22-Point Lead Over Sanders Now Down To 5 Ahead Of Iowa Caucus
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Sen. Bernie Sanders is making a furious comeback in Iowa ahead of next week's caucus.
The latest Monmouth University poll reveals the Vermont senator only trails Hillary Clinton by five points, 47 to 42 percent. Just last month, however, Clinton held a commanding 22-point lead, 55 to 33 percent.
Sanders has cut into Clinton's lead among female voters. The former secretary of state held a 61 to 27 percent advantage last month, but now it's only a 12-point lead, 50 to 38 percent. Sanders holds a three-point lead among men, 46 to 43 percent.
"Support for Sanders has come from those who are new to the process, but the current poll indicates he is also cutting into Clinton's lead among die-hard Democratic partisans," Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institue, said in a press release.
The poll also found that Sanders took away from Clinton's support among Iowa voters who usually participate in the Democratic caucus. Sanders cut into Clinton's 27-point lead she held last month, as he is now only 8 percentage points behind, 39 to 47 percent. Among Democratic voters who participate in the general election, Clinton leads Sanders 52 to 41 percent.
The poll is expecting a turnout of 110,000 Democratic voters for the Iowa caucus on Feb. 1. Over the past 35 years the caucus has seen a low of 30,000 voters in 1992 to a high of 240,000 in 2008. When researchers pushed the model's turnout to 200,000 voters, the poll found the two presidential hopefuls virtually tied.
"Given the way Iowa's Democratic caucuses work, Clinton could start the night with more supporters, but Sanders could win the delegate count," Murray said.
The poll was conducted from Jan. 23-26 among 504 likely Democratic Iowa caucus participants.