Tag: surge

Earlier this week, I shared polling results out of Iowa, the first-in-the-nation contest for the Democratic presidential nomination, that showed Mayor Pete Buttigieg had surged into third place. Just days later, a new poll from Iowa State University shows Mayor Pete moving into the number two spot. From the new survey:

Of likely caucus-goers, 20% said Buttigieg is their top choice among the field of Democratic presidential candidates. That moves him to second in the poll – up from fourth in September – just behind Sen. Elizabeth Warren who maintained her lead at 28%.

The Iowa State University/Civiqs poll surveys the same pool of voters each month leading up to the Iowa Caucuses to understand how voter preferences are shifting.

Dave Peterson, a professor and Whitaker Lindgren faculty fellow in political science who organized the poll, says Buttigieg’s ground game in Iowa is paying off.

“You can attribute some of his momentum to basic retail politics. Buttigieg is incredibly well organized and is spending a lot of resources in Iowa. His presence at the Iowa Steak Fry last month was better than any other candidate,” Peterson said.

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders were tied for second in the September poll. Sanders is now third with 18% and Biden is fourth at 12%.

After being the top fund-raising Democrat at the end of the second quarter, Team Buttigieg announced it would put that money to good use. In the past months, Buttigieg has opened more field offices in Iowa than any other candidate. While national polls look impressive, the story (if you’re looking for one) happening in primary season is the early states. A good finish in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or Nevada could inspire new traction for a candidate. If Buttigieg comes in second in Iowa, that will be a notable development.