Poll finds 34-point lead among Iowa Democrats for Clinton

CEDAR RAPIDS - Despite concerns with her email problems, likely Iowa Democratic caucusgoers are showing a 'fierce loyalty” to Hillary Clinton, giving her a 34 percentage point lead over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in a new Suffolk University poll.

The former U.S. Secretary of State overwhelmed Sanders 54 percent to 20 percent, Former Gov. Martin O'Malley polled 4 percent, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb 1 percent and former Rhode Island senator and Governor Lincoln Chaffee tallying less than 1 percent. Nine percent were undecided.

Suffolk also included Vice President Joe Biden in the mix and he received the support of 11 percent of the 500 likely Iowa presidential caucusgoers polled Aug. 20-24.

'There is a fierce loyalty to Hillary Clinton among likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston. 'Despite reports suggesting her vulnerability, these Democratic voters say they don't believe she broke the law. They are sticking by her in large numbers, even though a majority believes the email scandal will hurt her in the general election.”

The Suffolk poll released this morning is in sync with numerous polls done in Iowa - and elsewhere. The 34-point margin is greater than what pollsters have found in other states.

So far, the former first lady is leading the Democratic field everywhere but New Hampshire where Sanders now leads 42 percent to 35 percent over Clinton, according to a PPP poll released Tuesday.

In Iowa, Suffolk found Clinton's strongest support was with women, who favored her 53 percent to 15 percent over Sanders and 13 percent for Biden.

'Historically, Democratic caucuses and primaries turn out a disproportionate amount of women, and Clinton is making the gender advantage work to her advantage,” Paleologos said.

More than half of those polled - 52 percent - told Suffolk Clinton's email issue will hurt her if she is the Democratic nominee, while 36 percent said it will not. Asked if Clinton broke the law by using personal email while serving as secretary of state, 9 percent said she did, 76 percent said she did not, and 15 percent weren't sure.

On the issue of honesty and trust, however, Sanders edged Clinton 32 percent to 29 percent and Biden 18 percent.

Paleologos said Biden's 11 percent support in the poll despite his 87 percent overall favorability rating 'shows a lack of organization and funding, as he is not officially a candidate.”

If Biden opts out of the race, his Iowa Democratic supporters would split 39 percent to Clinton, 29 percent to Sanders, and 18 percent to O'Malley, according to the poll's subset of second-choices for the Democratic nomination.

Other findings included:

--- 'Which candidate best understands the problems facing people like you?” Clinton 39 percent, Sanders 32, Biden 10.

--- What holds you back from supporting Clinton? 18 percent like another candidate better; 9 percent untrustworthy/dishonest; email controversy 9 percent; baggage/issues 5 percent; views on issues 4 percent she's a Clinton, won't make it, Wall Street/corporate, all 3 percent; need change, not progressive enough and bad publicity, all 2 percent.

The statewide survey was conducted using live telephone interviews of Democratic primary voter households where respondents indicated they were very or somewhat likely to attend their local presidential caucuses. The margin of error is +/-4.4 percentage points. See more at www.suffolk.edu/SUPRC.