Warren leads primary field by 8 points in California poll

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) holds an 8-point lead over the Democratic primary field in California, according to a poll released Monday.

The Massachusetts lawmaker was the top choice of 29 percent of the Democratic voters and minority party or independent voters eligible to vote in California’s primary surveyed by Political Data Inc. on behalf of Capitol Weekly.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), at 21 percent, and former Vice President Joe Biden, at 18 percent, followed Warren.

California Sen. Kamala Harris (D) was the only other candidate with double-digit support, at 11 percent.

{mosads}South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) polled at 7 percent support, while entrepreneur Andrew Yang received 4 percent.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) both received 2 percent support, while all other Democratic hopefuls polled at 1 percent or below.

Political Data Inc. surveyed 599 likely Democratic or minority party/independent voters Sept. 1-13. Respondents were contacted by email based on voter file records, and the results were weighted to be representative.

The poll is the latest in a string of positive results for Warren, who this weekend led in Iowa for the first time in polling guru Ann Selzer’s state survey.

Harris’s fourth place shows the lawmaker struggling in her home state, a concerning result for her campaign given that no recent presidential hopeful who lost their home state in a primary has gone on to win their party’s nomination.

California carries more significance than ever this nominating cycle because of an accelerated primary schedule that places the delegate-rich state on Super Tuesday, when voters in a dozen states will cast their ballots for the Democratic nomination.

A survey conducted by Emerson earlier this month of the Golden State found Biden and Sanders tied for first at 26 percent, 6 percentage points ahead of Warren. 

Harris placed fifth in that poll, at 6 percent support, 1 point behind Yang.