Sanders trails Clinton by 6 in NH

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) trails Hillary Clinton by 6 points in New Hampshire, according to a new poll.



{mosads}A WMUR Granite State poll released late Tuesday showed Clinton taking 42 percent support over Sanders at 36 percent. Several recent polls have shown Sanders gaining on Clinton in New Hampshire, but the WMUR survey shows the contest is at its closest point yet.

The Republican National Committee gleefully blasted the poll results out with the subject line of #FeelTheBern.

Still, the race is essentially unchanged from late June, when the same poll showed Clinton at 43 percent and Sanders at 35.



Rounding out the field in New Hampshire are Vice President Biden at 5 percent, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Sen. Jim Webb at 1 percent each.



There has been intense speculation recently about whether Biden will run for president. Many believe he could shake up the race by pulling some establishment support from Clinton.



But in the early stages of the race, it’s Sanders who has emerged as the biggest threat to Clinton in the the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. 



He’s galvanized the support of many grassroots liberals and attracted the biggest crowds of anyone running for president on either side. Some Democrats believe he could win one or both of the early contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.



Still, Clinton remains the heavy favorite, leading nationally by more than 30 points, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls.

 

A strong majority of those surveyed in the WMUR poll, 68 percent, said they still believed Clinton will win the first-in-the-nation primary there.



And while controversy surrounding Clinton’s use of personal email has hurt her favorability rating nationally, she remains popular in New Hampshire. Seventy-two percent said they have a favorable view of Clinton, compared to only 19 percent who have an unfavorable view.



Sixty-nine percent said they have a favorable view of Sanders, compared to 10 percent negative.



The WMUR Granite State poll of 276 likely Democratic voters was conducted between July 22 and July 30 and has a 5.9 percentage point margin of error.