Online survey finds strong support for Warren in Iowa

DES MOINES - Whether or not she runs for president, Elizabeth Warren's positions on Wall Street banks, student loans and building an economy that works for the middle class are extremely popular among likely Iowa Democratic caucusgoers, according to a poll released Wednesday.

And despite her repeated assertions that she's not a candidate, MoveOn.org and Democracy for America said the poll results in Iowa and New Hampshire give them hope the Massachusetts senator will seek the Democratic nomination.

'There's a precedent,” said Charles Chamberlain, executive director of Democracy for America, reminding reporters that Warren was drafted to run for the Senate. 'She's been drafted before. We believe we can draft her again.”

There's plenty of time for supporters to change her mind, he added, because the poll numbers show 'she can create lightning in a bottle,” he said.

Chamberlain and Anna Galland, executive director of MoveOn.org Civic Action, insisted their efforts are not an attempt to push likely 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton to the 'right position.”

'It's an earnest effort to encourage Elizabeth Warren to get into the race,” Galland said. While she would be happy to see a 'spillover effect” as other candidates take progressive positions, 'the top objective is to get her into the race.”

Warren 'needs to be in the race,” Chamberlain said. 'This is her moment.”

The poll found strong support for Warren's positions on breaking up big banks, making money available for student loans at the same interest rate as banks get, expanding Social Security benefits and opposing the Trans Pacific trade agreement and construction of the Keystone pipeline.

The online poll conducted Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 found virtually every Iowa caucusgoer who responded, even Clinton supporters, see a benefit in a Democratic contest for the nomination.

Then, once the Iowa survey respondent had heard about Warren - and no negative information about other potential candidates - Warren led the field with 31 percent to Clinton's 24 percent. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, had 6 percent, in the poll conducted by YouGov.com.

To see complete poll results, visit http://front.moveon.org/elizabeth_warren_polling/#.VNuDffnF8n4.