Registered Democratic primary voters are far more concerned their candidate can beat President Donald Trump than actually sharing their policy views, while 28% wish their party had another option to choose, according to the latest Fox News poll.
A large majority of Democratic primary voters (80%) say it is extremely important their candidate can beat Trump, while just 42% are concerned the Democratic nominee shares their political views, the poll found.
"If Hillary Clinton were to enter the race, she'd likely do so near the top of the pack," the poll's Democratic pollster Chris Anderson said. "And Michelle Obama could probably clear the field."
The polled voters are more in line with former Vice President Joe Biden's views (72%) compared his top challengers:
- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., 68%.
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., 62%.
- South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg 43%.
Biden leads the primary race by 10 percentage points, although Warren has surged 17 points since March in the poll:
- Biden 31% (he was not yet in the race in March).
- Warren 21% (+17 points).
- Sanders 19% (-4).
- Buttigieg 7% (+6).
Biden also tops polling on whether being Democratic nominee, they can beat Trump:
- Biden 68%.
- Warren 57%.
- Sanders 54%.
- Buttigieg 30%.
In head-to-head hypothetical matchups, Biden's centrist Democratic views are the only one to take share from Trump's base, per the poll:
- Biden leads Trump 51%-39%.
- Sanders leads 49-41%.
- Warren 46-41.
- Hillary Clinton leads 43-41.
- Buttigieg is tied 41-41.
"Trump's support in these early ballot tests is consistently around 40%," Fox News' GOP pollster Darren Shaw said. "He'll need to shore up his support among a few wavering Republicans and pull some independents and Democrats away from the other side if he's going to win another term."
The poll was conducted Oct. 27-30 among 1,040 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points for all voters and plus or minus 4.5 points for Democratic primary voters.