Bernie Sanders has already lost more than half of his 2016 supporters

Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) 2016 flame might be fizzling out.
Just like nearly every other 2020 poll out so far, Sanders finds himself in second place in a Monmouth University poll released Monday. The biggest portion of Democrats, 28 percent, say they'd support Vice President Joe Biden for the 2020 nomination should he decide to run. As usual, Sanders comes in second with 25 percent, and his retreating 2016 base could explain why.
Sanders, who came close to clinching the Democratic nomination in 2016, could top the polls if all his past supporters returned. But in the Monmouth poll, only 46 percent of Sanders' 2016 backers said they planned to vote for him this time around. Biden gets 15 percent of Sanders' old squad, with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) next in line.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Still, some Monmouth findings are looking up for Sanders. He attracted 14 percent of past Hillary Clinton voters, the poll found. He's also the second most favorable and second most recognizable candidate in the pool, coming in just behind Biden on both counts. And if the ex-vice president declines to run, a quarter of Biden backers said they'll switch to Sanders.
Monmouth surveyed 310 registered and leaning Democratic voters via telephone from March 1 to 4, with a margin of error of 5.6 percent. Find the whole poll here.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Why is Trump backtracking on the Hyundai immigration raid?
Today’s Big Question Backlash threatens investment in US manufacturing
-
The 9 restaurants to eat at this very moment
The Week Recommends They’re award-winning. Isn’t that reason enough?
-
Trump proposes ending quarterly earnings reports
Speed Read The SEC would have to approve any changes
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to Trump
Speed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raids
Speed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raid
Speed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'
Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearing
Speed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mount
Speed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own list
speed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battle
Speed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants