As Hillary Clinton heads to Iowa this weekend to headline the annual Harkin Steak Fry, she leads the field of likely Democratic presidential contenders by a wide margin, according to a new poll released Friday.
The CNN/ORC poll showed Mrs. Clinton with support from 53 percent of registered Democratic, leading all of her likely competitors by double digits in Iowa, which historically holds the first-in-the-nation vote to pick presidential nominees.
Vice President Joe Biden, who also is headed to Iowa this weekend, trailed Mrs. Clinton by 38 points, 15 percent to 53 percent.
The poll confirmed Mrs. Clinton’s status as the presumed frontrunner of the Democratic nomination, though she has not official announced her candidacy.
Her appearance at the annual Steak Fry hosted by the state’s Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin only heightened anticipation for a Clinton presidential campaign.
Other leading liberal figures scored in single digits. Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren got 7 percent and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders got 5 percent, according to the poll.
The poll did not provide numbers for Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who has been aggressively laying the groundwork to run for the Democratic presidential nomination and has visited Iowa several times.
On the Republican side, the poll showed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee way out ahead with 21 percent of support from registered Republican voters in Iowa.
Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, who was the GOP’s vice presidential nominee in 2012, finished second with 12 percent.
Several other Republicans eyeing a run, including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, garnered single-digit support.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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