Election 2016 Polls: Before Miami Democratic Debate, Where Do The Candidates Stand?

Hillary Clinton has been pulling ahead of Bernie Sanders in the delegate count and in polls over the past few weeks. While Sanders won in Michigan on Tuesday night, he effectively split the delegates with Clinton and she brought in a big win in Mississippi. On Wednesday night, the Democratic presidential candidates will get another chance to face off in Florida before voters in the state cast their ballots next week.

Ahead of Wednesday night, here is a look at where the two Democratic candidates stand in the polls.

Hillary Clinton

As has been the case for months, Clinton continues to hold a commanding lead in national polls. She stood with an average at 51 percent before Wednesday’s debate, according to RealClearPolitics.

In an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll conducted March 3-6, she came in at 53 percent, putting her 9 percent above her opponent. That poll had a 4.8 percent margin of error among Democratic primary voters, and also showed Clinton leading among nonwhite voters.

She has done well in the primaries and caucuses that have taken place so far, gaining sweeping victories on Super Tuesday and frequently beating Sanders among minority voters. The former secretary of state is expected to continue this success in Florida, and polls in the state show her ahead there as well.

A News 13/Survey USA poll in Florida conducted March 4-6 found Clinton with 61 percent support. The survey included 823 likely Democratic primary voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percent. Among black voters in Florida, nearly three quarters said they would vote for Clinton, giving her 72 percent support.

Bernie Sanders

The Vermont senator has been lagging behind both nationally and in the Sunshine State where Wednesday’s debate will take place. His national polling average stands at 39.6 percent, putting him more than 10 points behind Clinton.

In the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Sanders had 44 percent support to Clinton’s 53 percent, but he polled in the 30s among nonwhite voters. As for his chances in Florida, he sits at an average of 32.2 percent there, while the News 13/Survey USA poll found him at 30 percent support.

Florida is known for its older population, which is among Clinton’s strongest voting bloc, so it makes sense that she is doing well there. As the candidates prepared for their debate on Wednesday, both have been working hard to reach out to voters in Florida and other states like Ohio that will vote next week.