Hillary Clinton's growing email scandal is hurting her standing among Democrats, according to a
Washington Post/ABC poll released on Monday that shows her support dropping below 50 percent for the first time, with her largest decline coming from white women, who have until now been her major source of support.
Clinton still was the poll's leader, taking 42 percent of the registered voters, compared to Sen. Bernie Sanders with 24 percent and Vice President Joe Biden who has not entered the race, with 21 percent, The Post reported.
And while Clinton's numbers fell, Sanders' rose by 10 points since July, with Biden up by nine.
Over the weekend, Sanders came out ahead of Clinton in both Iowa and New Hampshire, according to a new
CBS News poll, receiving 43 percent support in Iowa to 33 percent for Clinton. Biden netted 10 percent in the Iowa poll.
The CBS poll put Sanders ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire by 52 percent to 30 percent, with Biden receiving nine percent. She still remained ahead of Sanders in the South Carolina portion of the CBS poll, however, netting 46 percent, compared to Sanders with 23 percent and Biden with 22 percent.
In a hypothetical general election, Clinton runs about evenly with Trump, leading 46 percent to 43 percent among registered voters. Clinton holds a much bigger lead, 51 percent to 39 percent, among all adults.
However, The Post/ABC poll said that it will do Sanders little good if Biden does not decide to run:
- Clinton would jump by 14 points, to 56 percent
- Sanders four points, to 28 percent
- Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, 3 percent
- Former Virginia Gov. Jim Webb 2 percent
- Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee, 1 percent
- Undecided, 5 percent
The poll also measured overall dissatisfaction with the government and politics, with more than 7 in 10 saying politicians can't be trusted and 6 in 10 saying the entire political system is dysfunctional.
However, only about 25 percent of Democrats said they prefer a political outsider to take office, compared to 60 percent for Republicans.
In other numbers in the Clinton race:
- 31 percent of white women support her, compared to 64 percent in July
- 31 percent of white women now support Sanders, doubling his support since July
- 55 percent of Americans say they disapprove of how Clinton handles her email questions
- 54 percent say she's been covering up facts
- 51 percent say she broke government rules on the use of a private server
- 56 percent said she is not honest and trustworthy, compared to 60 percent for Trump
Over half of all Americans questioned doubt Clinton understands their problems, while 56 percent say she has the personality and temperament to serve as president.
The Post-ABC News poll surveyed 1,003 adults, and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points.