Latest NBC/WSJ poll has Biden, Warren at top of 2020 Democratic field

Biden gets the support of 26 percent of voters who say they will participate in next year’s Democratic primaries or caucuses, while 19 percent back Warren.

They’re followed by Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who are tied at 13 percent.

South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg gets support from 7 percent of Democratic primary voters, and former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke and entrepreneur Andrew Yang are at 2 percent.

No other candidate gets more than 1 percent.

Biden overperforms among African Americans, older Democrats and those who are moderate or conservative in their political views, while Warren runs strongest with self-described liberals and those ages 18 to 49.

Sanders also overperforms among the youngest Democratic primary voters.

This NBC/WSJ poll was conducted July 7-9, so after the first Democratic debates and the subsequent candidate skirmishes over the issues of race and health care.

New candidate Tom Steyer didn’t enter the race until July 9, and the survey didn’t test his support.

The poll also asks Democratic primary voters about their second choice for president. The top responses here: Harris (14 percent), Warren (13 percent), Sanders (12 percent) and Biden (10 percent).

But importantly, only 12 percent of all Democratic primary voters say their mind is definitely made up, which suggests how malleable these horse race numbers are.

“Every result looks so meaningful, so significant. And in truth, it is only July 2019,” cautioned Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.

“They are looking at lots of candidates,” McInturff said of these voters, “and they don’t need to make a choice right now.”

The NBC/WSJ poll also shows how the Democratic electorate is divided – between voters who want substantial change and those who want smaller change.

Fifty-four percent of Democratic primary voters say they prefer a nominee who proposes larger-scale policies that might cost more and be harder to pass – but could still result in major change.

Among these voters, Warren leads the pack (at 29 percent), and she’s followed by Sanders (18 percent), Biden (16 percent) and Harris (14 percent).

By contrast, 41 percent of Dem primary voters say they want a nominee who pushes for smaller-scale policies that cost less and might be easier to pass – but that bring less change.

And among these voters, Biden holds a substantial lead (at 35 percent), followed by Harris (14 percent, Buttigieg (8 percent) and Sanders (7 percent).

Similarly, Democratic primary are divided on what’s more important to them – a candidate who comes closest to their views on issues, or one who has the best chance to defeat President Donald Trump.

Fifty-one percent say issues are more important, and those voters break for Biden (18 percent), Warren (18 percent), Sanders (17 percent) and Harris (11 percent).

That’s compared with 45 percent who believe defeating Trump is more important, and they break Biden (at 34 percent), Warren (21 percent), Harris (16 percent), Buttigieg (8 percent) and Sanders (6 percent).

Additionally, the poll finds that more than seven-in-10 Democratic primary voters favor a single-payer health care system in which all Americans get their health insurance from one government plan financed in part by taxes.

But that’s compared with just 36 percent of independent voters and 14 percent of Republicans who back government-run health care.

Among all voters, 44 percent support it, versus 49 percent who oppose it.

Meanwhile, Democratic primary voters remain divided on impeaching President Trump: 41 percent believe there’s enough evidence to begin impeachment hearings now, versus 39 percent who say Congress should continue investigating to see if there’s enough evidence to hold impeachment hearings in the future.

Only 19 percent of Democratic primary voters think that Congress should not hold impeachment hearings and that Trump should finish his term as president.

Among all voters, 21 percent support beginning impeachment now; another 27 percent want more hearings; and 50 percent believe the country should move on.

Fifty-one percent of Democratic primary voters say they either watched or listened to some of the first two presidential debates, and another 29 percent say they paid close attention to the news coverage of them.

When these respondents were asked which candidates impressed them the most – they were allowed up to three choices – the top answers were Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden.

And interest in the Democratic primary race remains high, with a combined 82 percent of primary voters saying they’re “very closely” or “somewhat closely” following the contest.

“We know they are paying attention,” said McInturff, the GOP pollster.

The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted July 7-9 of 800 total registered voters – more than half reached by cell phone – and that has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.5 percentage points.

Among the 400 Democratic primary voters surveyed, the margin of error is plus-minus 4.9 percentage points.

Biden 22%

Warren 22%

Harris 12%

Sanders 12%

Buttigieg 9%

Biden 46%

Harris 17%

Sanders 11%

Warren 8%

Buttigieg 3%

Biden 33%

Harris 16%

Sanders 15%

Warren 14%

Buttigieg 3%

Warren 29%

Sanders 18%

Biden 17%

Harris 12%

Biden 35%

Harris 15%

Buttigieg 9%

Sanders 8%

Warren 7%

Sanders 25%

Warren 23%

Biden 11%

Buttigieg 10%

Harris 9%

Biden 39%

Harris 17%

Warren 15%

Buttigieg 5%

Sanders 3%

Biden 34%

Warren 21%

Harris 16%

Buttigieg 8%

Sanders 6%

Biden 18%

Warren 18%

Sanders 17%

Harris 11%

Warren 29%

Sanders 18%

Biden 16%

Harris 14%

Biden 35%

Harris 14%

Buttigieg 8%

Warren 8%

Sanders 7%