Sanders Stronger Democratic Candidate Than Clinton? Latest Polls Show His Strong Presence Even In Conservative States
Bernie Sanders’ candidacy was taken as a rather feeble one at the beginning of the campaign, but the Vermont senator has really picked up serious speed in the wake of the recent primaries. What was unimaginable at the beginning of the campaign, latest polls emerging show that Bernie Sanders could be stronger candidate than Hillary Clinton even in the general election.
According to the latest McClatchy-Marist poll, Sanders now leads Donald Trump nationally by 20 points in a hypothetical general election matchup, more than double Hillary Clinton’s nine-point lead
He leads Republican Senator Ted Cruz by 12 points. The same polls suggest that Hillary is in a tie with the Texan conservative.
Even in the places where liberals are traditionally thrashed by conservatives, Sanders is now leading or competing far better than his democratic counterparts.
He leads Trump in Kansas and Utah. These are the states which haven’t given their electoral votes to a Democrat since 1964.
Sanders outperforms Clinton over Trump in the swing states of Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin, as well.
Networks: Bernie Sanders wins Wisconsin primary https://t.co/OKqrErECbT via @usatoday
— Jamal Lamar Chevis (@JChevy80sBaby) April 6, 2016
According to the Sacramento Bee, Sanders has largely escaped serious criticism from Clinton, the news media, or Republicans.
“Right now Hillary Clinton is the focus of all evil in the world for Republicans and Democrats,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
The major reasons for the insurgence is primarily because he resonates with the views of young Americans and has not been involved in serious scandals like his counterpart, Hillary Clinton.
His message against anti-establishment politics is rightly pitched in the aftermaths of Democratic nominations.
If things do not change too drastically, he is the perfect man to lead the Democratic Party at the moment.
“People see Trump as a disaster,” said Dan Jones, president of a Salt Lake City-based firm that conducts Utah polls. And people have never warmed there to Clinton or even to her husband, the former president. “They see the enthusiasm for Sanders on TV; his enthusiasm for America.”
Even high profile Republicans have helped the rise of Sanders. A Jones poll last month showed Sanders leading Trump by 11 and Clinton by two after Mitt Romney gave a blistering attack on Trump.
The traditionally red state of Kansas is also favoring Sanders now. He had a one-point edge over Trump in a February Fort Hays State University poll of Kansas residents. Clinton on the other hand trailed Trump by 10. Kansas has only preferred a democrat once since 1936 — Lyndon Johnson in 1964.
“Sanders, as well as Trump, say things in a forceful, simplistic way,” said Kenneth Fernandez, director of the Elon University Poll in North Carolina.
Fernandez did his survey in February and put Sanders up by eight points over Trump in North Carolina, while Clinton was ahead by six.
Bernie Sanders is enjoying his recent boom in American politics and he’s seen as a candidate with fresh ideas who is genuinely against everything the “99%” of his beloved Americans’ are against.
Sanders faces Clinton in April 19 New York. Though her poll numbers have been steady in New York for a long time, Sanders’ momentum could cause all sorts of problems for her.
The criticism against Clinton has increased lately. Recently she was criticized for using static noise machine on Thursday to block reporters outside of a fundraiser in Denver from hearing her remarks.
Though Sanders is riding the wind at the moment, Tara Blanc, co-director of the Merrill Poll in Tempe, Arizona, warned people against drawing any conclusions.
“Winter and spring surveys are not predictive of who goes to the polls,” she said.
There are many who believe Sander’s political honeymoon is not going to last, including Larry Sabato.
“The less you know about a person, the more positive you’re going to feel,” said Sabato. “Sanders really hasn’t been vetted yet.”
[Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images]
