Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has a lot to smile about this week.

In recent polls, he's up yet again, nearly neck-in-neck with fellow Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton.

One poll from Jan. 1 to Jan. 8 put Clinton at 43 percent and Sanders at 39 percent, a difference within the 5.1 margin of error. According to the Real Clear Politics average, he's leading in New Hampshire, and not too far behind in Iowa.

The former Secretary of State entered the race as the clear favorite on the Democratic side. Sanders was still an unknown when he entered the race, but rapidly climbed the polls after capturing Americans with his economic message.

A recent poll from Gallup indicates another reason voters may Feel the Bern. We've written often about the rise of political polarization. The trend is clear: liberal Democrats are the new Democrats.

