As Democrats prepare for their party's first primary debate, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders leads former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton among Democrats who say they are planning on watching the Oct. 13 event, according to a poll conducted by Google Consumer Surveys for IJ.com.

Sanders leads with 38.4 percent over Clinton, who is in within the margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points with 37.6 percent. Vice President Biden, who is expected to announce whether or not he will enter the 2016 fray this week, came in third at 14.1 percent.

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Though she has ruled out a run, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren garners 5.3 percent, followed by Jim Webb and Martin O'Malley at 1.6 percent each, and Lincoln Chafee at 1.3 percent.

Sanders has a similar lead over Clinton among men, 38.1 percent to 34.6 percent. But he's struggling with women, and trails Clinton's 41.8 percent with 39.5 percent.

Despite the uptick in support for Biden, Sanders is not the candidate Democrats predict wins their party's nomination. Nearly six in 10 (56.9 percent) say Clinton will win the Democratic nomination, followed by Sanders at 23.3 percent and Joe Biden at 14.9 percent.

(Screenshot: IJ.com)

The survey of roughly 1,000 Democratic voters was conducted Sept. 30.