 September 10, 2015 - Sanders 41 To Clinton 40 In Iowa Democratic Caucus, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Dems Say Sanders Is More Honest And Caring 
 
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 In a come-from-behind rally, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is the choice of 41 percent of Iowa likely Democratic Caucus participants, with 40 percent picking former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 12 percent backing Vice President Joseph Biden, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. While Clinton remains the front-runner for the nomination, and pollsters caution against reading too much into one survey, the results reflect serious movement for Sanders: He trailed the former secretary of state by a 52-33 percent margin in Quinnipiac's last poll of Iowa's likely Democratic caucus-goers, in July. Today, former Maryland Gov. Her allies have also long noted that no non-incumbent candidate has broken the 50 percent mark in the Iowa caucuses other than Iowa's own Tom Harkin in 1992. There is a wide gender gap among Democrats today as Sanders leads Clinton 49 - 28 percent among men, with 16 percent for Biden, while Clinton leads Sanders 49 - 35 percent among women, with 9 percent for Biden. Together, the results suggest a candidate reeling from the controversy over her emails and struggling to put down a rebellion on her left flank. Clinton has a 76 - 20 percent favorability rating among likely Democratic Caucus participants, as these voters say 64 - 30 percent that she is honest and trustworthy, and 78 - 18 percent that she cares about their needs and problems. By a count of 92 percent to 7 percent, voters said the former secretary of state has strong leadership qualities and 89 percent said she had the right temperament to tackle an international crisis, compared with 9 percent who did not think so. Sanders gets a 78 - 6 percent favorability rating and likely Democratic Caucus-goers say 86 - 4 percent that he is honest and trustworthy, and 85 - 5 percent that he cares about their needs and problems. Voters say 76 - 9 percent that he has strong leadership qualities and 65 - 15 percent that he has the right temperament and personality to handle an international crisis. On the leadership front, 81 percent to 14 percent gave him high marks, while in terms of his ability to handle crises, 81 percent to 13 percent said they approved of his capabilities. The poll was conducted in the weeks around Labor Day, from Aug. 27-Sept. 8, surveying 832 likely Democratic caucus participants in the Hawkeye State via landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Would you say that - Hillary Clinton is honest and trustworthy or not? By a count of 84 percent to 11 percent, likely caucus-goers said Biden cares about the needs and problems of people like them. Would you rather have a presidential candidate whose political experience was mostly outside of Washington or mostly in the government in Washington?
– A Quinnipiac poll out today brings an unwelcome milestone for Hillary Clinton: She trails for the first time in Iowa to Bernie Sanders, 41% to 40%. That's within the poll's margin of error but still a notable shift from July, when she was way out in front 52% to 33%. Previous polls have shown that Sanders also is leading in New Hampshire, and with all the usual caveats about early-state polls, the two taken together should give the Clinton camp plenty to think about. Here's a sampling of reaction: Time: Sanders' "rapid gain on Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire reflects broader concern among liberal Democrats with economic inequality, college affordability, healthcare and campaign finance reform, issues that Sanders has trumpeted throughout his campaign." Politico: The "shift is a significant one, coming on the heels of polls showing Sanders edging Clinton in New Hampshire, too. Together, the results suggest a candidate reeling from the controversy over her emails and struggling to put down a rebellion on her left flank." CNN: "For Clinton, the poll will come as a sharp reminder of her 2008 race, when she also faltered in Iowa despite her once-inevitable nominee status." Click to read about a plan Clinton endorses—that could actually give Sanders a big edge.