Despite Sanders surge, Clinton supporters see no reason for worry

CEDAR RAPIDS - On a day that saw a new poll showing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and as-of-yet noncandidate Vice President Joe Biden cutting into her lead, Hillary Clinton's supporters remained convinced there is no need to worry.

'There's no reason we should be,” Helane Golden of Cedar Rapids said after hearing Clinton, her voice hoarse, spend 30 minutes at a house party hosted by Sen. Liz Mathis, D-Cedar Rapids, outlining a lengthy agenda she wants to tackle as president.

According to an NBC/Marist poll released before Clinton spoke, Sanders has jumped to a nine-point lead over Clinton in New Hampshire. In Iowa, the former secretary of state's lead has seen her lead reduced from 24 points in July - 49 percent to 25 percent - to 11 points or 38 percent to 27 percent. Biden, who is said to be contemplating a third presidential run, was the first choice of 20 percent of the 345 potential Iowa caucusgoers polled Aug. 29-Sept. 2. The NBC/Marist poll has a 5.3 percent margin of error.

Adding to the bad news was the NBC/Marist finding that in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups, both former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and businessman Donald Trump would beat Clinton in Iowa.

Golden and others in the audience of about 150 were far from worried by the poll or the large, enthusiastic crowds Sanders is drawing.

He may be a 'bump in the road,” Golden said, 'but the best candidate will win in the end.”

Dustin Arnold of Cedar Rapids called Sanders a 'novelty” that will wear off.

John Lane, also of Cedar Rapids, who supported Clinton in 2008, remains 'all on board with everything she said.”

The response to Clinton, who stayed long after her remarks to visit with supporters, was low-key - receiving applause for typical Democratic talking points on child care, education, health care, climate change and clean energy.

Lane attributed that to 'politeness.”

'It was a small crowd, so there was no chanting or anything,” he said.

Others predicted a more robust response when Clinton speaks at the Hawkeye Labor picnic Monday. The picnic is open to members of AFL-CIO unions and their retirees.