Sen. Bernie Sanders has taken a commanding lead in California’s Democratic presidential race, ahead of his nearest rival by 2 to 1 and on track to win a majority of the huge trove of delegates at stake in the state’s March 3 primary, according to the final UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll of the contest.
The findings of the poll, conducted for the Los Angeles Times from Thursday of last week through Tuesday, help explain why Sanders’ rivals have done most of their recent campaigning elsewhere among the 14 states that vote in the March 3 Super Tuesday contests. Their schedules tacitly admit that they don’t expect to catch Sanders here, in a state with one of the nation’s most liberal Democratic primary electorates.
The Vermont senator’s dominance in California could have a major impact on the overall race for the nomination. Based on his 34% support in the poll, this state alone likely will give him well over 10% of the 1,990 delegates he would need to win the nomination at the national convention this summer.
The poll finds Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who led in the state several months ago, in second, but far behind, with 17%. College-educated white liberals, especially women, provide her remaining area of strength. She also continues to be the most cited second choice for supporters of other candidates.
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