Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has opened a wide lead over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Democratic contest in Iowa, according to a CNN/ORC poll released Thursday.
The poll showed support for Sanders at 51 percent, while Clinton claimed the support of 43 percent of respondents. This is a dramatic reversal of the result of the previous CNN/ORC poll conducted out in December, which showed Clinton beating Sanders 54 percent to 36 percent.
Nevertheless, the survey is consistent with polls suggesting a tightening race in Iowa. Clinton also has seen a decline in support in New Hampshire, where she has frequently trailed Sanders, even as she continues to lead the contest in national polls.
The CNN/ORC poll surveyed 280 likely Democratic caucusgoers by phone from Jan. 15-20. It had a margin of error of six percentage points.
