Polls show Sanders on top in NH

With New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary closing in, two new public opinion polls indicate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont enjoys an edge over his rivals in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

A University of New Hampshire/CNN poll shows Sanders at 25% support among likely Democratic primary voters in the Granite State, with former Vice President Joe Biden at 16%, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 15%, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts at 12%.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was in fifth place, at 6%, closely followed by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, both at 5%. Billionaire environmental and progressive advocate Tom Steyer stood at 2%, with everyone else in the remaining field of 12 contenders at 1% or less.

Sanders stood at 22% support in an NBC News/Marist survey, with Buttigieg at 17%, Biden 15%, and Warren 13%. Klobuchar stood at 10%, with Gabbard at 6%, Yang at 5%, and Steyer at 3%. Everyone else registered at 1% or less.

“Sanders’ advantage is bolstered by his strong support among progressive Democrats and younger voters,” the director of the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion Lee Miringoff said.

The two new surveys followed a WBUR/MassINC survey released on Thursday which indicated Sanders was a dozen points ahead of Buttigieg. But a Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll released a week ago suggested Sanders and Biden essentially tied, with Buttigieg and Warren close behind.

New Hampshire voters are traditionally late deciders in the presidential primary, and with just two weeks to go until the Feb. 11 primary, the CNN/UNH poll illustrates that point.

Three in ten questioned said they were firmly behind the candidate they’re backing, with 20% noting they’re leaning toward a candidate but haven’t definitely made up their mind yet. And nearly half – 49% – said they’re still deciding.

The survey also shows President Donald Trump as the overwhelming favorite to win the state’s Republican primary. Trump stands at 90% support among likely GOP primary voters in New Hampshire, with former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld at 4% and former Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois at 1%.

Surrogate week in New Hampshire

With the four senators running for the Democratic presidential nomination – Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar and Michael Bennet – stuck on jury duty in Washington in the Senate impeachment trial of Trump – their surrogates are taking the lead campaigning in New Hampshire on behalf of the candidates.

It’s the same story with former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang – who are spending all their time in Iowa right now with the caucuses that kick off the presidential nominating calendar just a one week away.

Among the top surrogates in New Hampshire this week are former four-term New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch – who’s crisscrossing the state on Biden’s behalf this week. Lynch will be in the Seacoast region on Wednesday, with stops in Dover and Exeter.

Actress and activist Ashley Judd is in New Hampshire on Warren’s behalf. She’ll make stops Tuesday in Portsmouth and the University of New Hampshire in Durham.

It’s always better to have the candidate campaign in person – making direct contact with the voters. But University of New Hampshire political scientist Dante Scala noted ordinary or traditional surrogates – such as members of congress, state lawmakers, and former lawmakers and officials – can keep supporters and volunteers engaged in a campaign while the candidate is away.

Scala said “with an entertainment or sports celebrity you’re more likely to attract your casual voter, who tends to vote but doesn’t follow politics too much.”

Bloomberg flies over NH

Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg came close to New Hampshire on Monday, as he made campaign stops in Burlington, Vermont and later in Portland and Scarborough, Maine. The former New York City mayor and multi-billionaire business and media mogul flew over the Granite State as he made his way from Vermont to Maine.

Bloomberg flirted with a White House run a year ago, but in March, with former Vice President Joe Biden gearing up for a presidential run, he decided against launching a campaign because he felt he and the former vice president would split the center-left Democratic vote.

But in late November -- with Biden battling other top-tier contenders Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts as well as South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg — Bloomberg jumped into the race. He said that he was concerned none of the current candidates could defeat Trump in next year's election.

Since he jumped into the race extremely late, Bloomberg’s skipping Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina — the four early voting states that kick off the nominating calendar in February. Instead, he’s concentrating on the delegate-rich Super Tuesday states that vote on March 3, and beyond.

With his stops in Vermont and Maine, Bloomberg has now visited all 14 of the states from coast to coast that vote on Super Tuesday.