A top campaign official for Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE told Hill.TV on Thursday that the Democratic presidential candidate not only has both the right ideas to move the U.S. forward and the courage to carry them out.

“The senator is really speaking to the consciousness of this country,” Nina Turner, co-chairwoman Sanders's presidential campaign, told Hill.TV correspondent Jamal Simmons on Thursday.

“We need that kind of leader — somebody who not just has the right ideas, but has the courage to carry [them] through,” she added. "The senator, certainly over the years, has proven himself as somebody who will stand up and not capitulate and will be right there for the working people of this country."

Turner’s comments came just hours before the third Democratic debate in Houston.

Sanders will be one of 10 candidates on the stage, along with former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE and Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.).

All three are atop most national and statewide polls, often with Biden in the lead.

However, a recent HarrisX/No Labels survey found Sanders and Biden in a statistical tie in New Hampshire, a key early voting state.

The survey showed that 21 percent of likely Democratic primary voters supported Sanders, while 22 percent backed Biden, putting the two White House hopefuls within the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

—Tess Bonn