Sanders, Biden Top Choices To Beat Trump, MD Tells Goucher Poll

BALTIMORE, MD — Maryland Democrats favor Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and former Vice President Joe Biden in the April 28 primary, says a new Goucher College Poll. Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts receive the highest marks for favorability from likely voters.

The Goucher College Poll asked Maryland Democratic likely voters about their presidential primary, how they viewed each Democratic presidential candidate, and their preferences toward candidate ideology and electability versus closeness of position on issues. The poll also asked all Maryland likely voters their preferences in general election matchups between President Donald Trump and each of the Democratic candidates.

Twenty-four percent of Maryland Democratic likely voters say they will vote for Bernie Sanders, 18 percent for Joe Biden, and 16 percent for Michael Bloomberg. Seven percent would vote for Pete Buttigieg, 6 percent for Amy Klobuchar, and 6 percent for Elizabeth Warren. All other candidates earn support from fewer than 1 percent of voters. Eighteen percent have no preference or are undecided.

“There’s been significant change in the preferences of Maryland Democratic likely voters since the September 2019 Goucher College Poll. Reflecting national polls, Sanders has gained ground while both Biden and Warren have lost support in Maryland. After a late entry to the race, Michael Bloomberg has built some support among Maryland Democrats,” said Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, in a news release. “We’ll have a better picture after Super Tuesday, but it’s certainly possible that the Maryland primary will be hotly contested rather than inconsequential to the outcome of the primary.”

From Feb. 13-19, the Goucher College Poll surveyed 929 Maryland adults to identify 718 Maryland likely voters, with a margin of error of +/-3.6 percent, and 371 (+/-5.1) likely Democratic voters.

Democratic Candidate Favorability Ratings

Maryland Democratic likely voters were asked whether they held a favorable or unfavorable opinion of each of the Democratic candidates:

• 74 percent held a favorable view toward Bernie Sanders; 23 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 67 percent held a favorable view toward Elizabeth Warren; 22 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 64 percent held a favorable view toward Joe Biden; 32 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 61 percent held a favorable view toward Pete Buttigieg; 25 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 54 percent held a favorable view toward Michael Bloomberg; 34 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 53 percent held a favorable view toward Amy Klobuchar; 21 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 31 percent held a favorable view toward Tom Steyer; 36 percent held an unfavorable view.
• 22 percent held a favorable view toward Tulsi Gabbard; 48 percent held an unfavorable view.

Policy Closeness vs. Electability

Forty-seven percent of Democratic likely voters say it’s more important to find a candidate who is likely to defeat Trump, and 39 percent say finding a candidate whose positions on the issues comes closest to theirs is more important.

General Election Matchups

All Maryland likely voters were asked who they would vote for if the election were between Trump and each one of the Democratic candidates:

• 61 percent Bernie Sanders/34 percent Donald Trump
• 60 percent Joe Biden/35 percent Donald Trump
• 59 percent Michael Bloomberg/32 percent Donald Trump
• 59 percent Amy Klobuchar/32 percent Donald Trump
• 59 percent Elizabeth Warren/35 percent Donald Trump
• 58 percent Pete Buttigieg/33 percent Donald Trump
• 54 percent Tom Steyer/36 percent Donald Trump
• 52 percent Tulsi Gabbard/35 percent Donald Trump

Related: Goucher Poll: Education Reform Popular But Cost Raises Questions

Trump and Congress

Thirty-one percent of Marylanders approve of the job Trump is doing as President of the United States and 62 percent disapprove. Thirteen percent of residents approve of the job Congress is doing and 79 percent disapprove.

Download the complete results, including methodology and question design. To view archived polls, visit www.goucher.edu/poll.

About the poll: The Goucher College Poll is conducted under the auspices of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College. The center is directed by Dr. Mileah Kromer, associate professor of political science. The Goucher College Poll is funded by the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center endowment and does not take additional funding from outside sources. The mission of the Goucher College Poll is to improve public discourse in Maryland by providing neutral, unbiased, and independent information on citizen perceptions and opinions.