Walker, Clinton Atop Iowa Poll, Sanders Rockets to Sixteen Percent

June 2015 Bloomberg Politics Des Moines Register Iowa Poll

Bleeding Heartland has the numbers and analysis of the latest Bloomberg Politics/Des Monies Resister poll.

Iowa is custom-tailored for Scott Walker as rightwing fundamentalism and nativism remain strong.

Walker has run a divide-and-conquer strategy that plays well in white rural America.

Writes Margaret Talev in Bloomberg:

Clinton is the first choice for 57 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers in a new Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll conducted May 25-29, up a percentage point from the previous poll in January. Controversies dating from her tenure as secretary of state, from her handling of the Benghazi attacks and her use of private e-mail to the Clinton Foundation's acceptance of contributions from foreign governments, have not weakened her campaign in Iowa, though many Democrats remain concerned they could hurt her in a general election.

Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont running for president as a Democrat, has surged to become the top pick of 16 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers, more than triple the 5 percent he drew in January. Part of that is likely due to Sanders's recent formal entry into the race, while Warren, the Massachusetts senator whom many progressives urged to run as a liberal alternative to Clinton, has repeatedly said she won't run and wasn't listed as a likely candidate in this poll. 

The political strategies of Walker and Sanders/Hillary are diametrically opposed.

Walker needs to avoid answering any unscripted questions with responsive statements, and Hillary and Sanders need to get to do the opposite and reach as many people as possible.