Two weeks before the Democratic presidential primaries officially kick off with the Iowa caucuses, Hillary Rodham Clinton has a 25-point national lead over her key rival, Sen. Bernard Sanders, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey released Sunday.
But the poll also shows that Mr. Sanders, a Vermont independent and self-described democratic socialist, fares better against Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
The poll comes on the day Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley face off in a crucial primary debate. While Mr. Sanders now leads Mrs. Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire, according to some polls, the NBC News/Wall Street Journal figures show the former secretary of state with a commanding lead nationally.
In the national poll, she garnered the support of 59 percent of Democratic primary voters, while Mr. Sanders pulled in 34 percent. The survey contradicts other recent polls that have shown Mrs. Clinton’s national lead in the single digits.
But the poll includes a silver lining for Mr. Sanders and shows him beating Mr. Trump by a greater margin than Mrs. Clinton.
Mr. Sanders has a 15-point national lead over Mr. Trump, the poll shows, while Mrs. Clinton’s advantage is 10 points.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.