Biden cuts into Clinton’s lead nationally

Vice President Biden is gaining ground on Hillary Clinton nationally as he nears a decision on whether to launch a White House bid.

{mosads}A Monmouth University survey released Tuesday shows Clinton still maintaining a big lead over her rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, taking 42 percent support, followed by Biden at 22 percent and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at 20 percent.

Clinton has fallen 10 points from the same poll last month, however, while Biden has gained 10 points and Sanders has picked up 4.

If Biden were to enter the race, the Monmouth poll found the race could tighten even further.

In addition to the 22 percent already supporting him, 34 percent of Democrats said they would be “somewhat likely” to support him if he officially took the plunge. Another 7 percent said they would be “very likely” to support Biden if he runs.

“For a guy who is not running for president, Biden sure is making headway against the frontrunner,” said Monmouth University polling director Patrick Murray.  “There also seems to be an opening with the more liberal Sanders voters if Biden plays his cards right.”

Biden has the best net favorability rating in the field, with 71 percent of Democrats viewing him favorably, against only 9 percent who view him unfavorably.

Still, despite a raft of polling that shows voters do not find Clinton to be honest or trustworthy, the former secretary of State maintains a strong favorability rating among Democrats, with 71 percent having a positive view of her, against 17 percent negative.

Sanders sits at 42 percent positive and 12 percent negative. 

The Vermont senator continues to lag nationally, but has made big gains on Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states to cast ballots next year. Sanders has led the last three polls of New Hampshire, and one recent survey of Iowa found him within 7 points of Clinton there.

Biden is grieving the loss of his son Beau Biden, who reportedly urged his father to run for president shortly before he died. Biden’s other son, Hunter Biden, has also pushed him to run.

The vice president has said his decision will rest on whether he and his family have “the emotional energy to run.”

“The factor is, can I do it? Can my family undertake what is an arduous commitment that we’d be proud to undertake in ordinary circumstances?,” Biden said last week. “The honest to God answer is I just don’t know.”

Biden has been ramping up his public appearances in recent days.

Last week he promoted the administration’s nuclear deal with Iran at a synagogue in Atlanta and attended a fundraiser for Democrats in South Florida. He addressed union supporters at a Labor Day rally in Pittsburgh on Monday. This week, Biden will give a speech on the economy in New York and will be among the first guests on Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show.”

Meanwhile, the super-PAC organized to encourage Biden to run for president has been ramping up its efforts; releasing ads, holding a “national day of action,” and staffing up with close allies of the vice president in early-voting states.

Still, Clinton remains the prohibitive favorite with a big lead in national polls, a significant fundraising advantage, and a deep well of support among establishment Democrats.

The Monmouth University poll of 339 registered Democrats was conducted between Aug. 31 and Sept. 2 and has a 5.3 percentage point margin of error.