AP Photo Poll: Sanders leads Clinton in New Hampshire, closing in Iowa

Bernie Sanders has a solid lead over Hillary Clinton among New Hampshire Democrats five months ahead of the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary, and the Vermont senator is also gaining on Clinton in Iowa, according to NBC News/Marist polls released on Sunday.

In New Hampshire, Sanders had the support of 49 percent of Democrats when Joe Biden's name was not included as a choice, with Clinton in second with 38 percent support.


Sanders maintained his lead when Biden was included as a choice, with 41 percent picking Sanders, 32 percent choosing Clinton and 16 percent picking Biden, who is still weighing whether or not to enter the race.

None of the other Democratic candidates — former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb — attracted more than 1 percent support in the poll.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump leads at 28 percent. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has focused his campaign on New Hampshire, took second with 12 percent support, with Ben Carson in third with 11 percent support.

In Iowa, Clinton's lead over Sanders has narrowed significantly. The former secretary of state now leads Sanders, 48 percent to 37 percent, down from a 29-point lead in an NBC News/Marist poll earlier this summer. (With Biden included as an option, Clinton earns 38 percent, compared to 27 percent for Sanders and 20 percent for the vice president.)

In the GOP caucuses, Trump and Carson have put some distance between them and the rest of the field. Trump is at 29 percent, and Carson is at 22 percent. The next-closest candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is at 6 percent.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who led Trump in a July NBC News/Marist poll in Iowa, was at just 5 percent, joined by Carly Fiorina and Rand Paul.

The polls were conducted Aug. 26-Sept. 2. In Iowa, there were 345 potential Democratic caucus participants and 390 Republicans; the margins of error are plus-or-minus 5.3 and 5.0 percentage points, respectively. In New Hampshire, there were 356 potential Democratic primary voters and 413 Republicans; those margins of error are 5.2 and 4.8 points; respectively.