A pollster who conducted a recent national survey for NBC News and The Wall Street Journal defended the decision to exclude Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenBiden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Don't expect a government check anytime soon MORE (D-Mass.) from a head-to-head portion of the poll against President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE after the news sources received blowback from Democratic primary voters following the survey's release.

Peter Hart, a pollster who works for the firm that conducted the survey, defended the decision on Monday to place Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy KlobucharThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill EPA delivers win for ethanol industry angered by waivers to refiners It's time for newspapers to stop endorsing presidential candidates MORE (D-Minn.) in a head-to-head match-up against the president, but exclude the Massachusetts senator.

“Amy Klobuchar was selected as the fifth candidate,” Hart told BuzzFeed News. “We have tested Warren earlier, and I suspect she will be part of the next testing.”

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The last time the NBC-Wall Street Journal poll ran hypothetical match-ups against Trump, Warren was included and narrowly edged out the president, 48 percent to 45 percent. It was the third time Warren had been included in such a head-to-head match-up in this election cycle.

In the poll, Warren was tied with former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg for third place with the support of 14 percent of respondents. The pair trailed former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenSenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg What Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Biden says Ginsburg successor should be picked by candidate who wins on Nov. 3 MORE (15 percent) and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 Biden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security MORE (I-Vt.) (27 percent).

The poll included candidates Sanders, Biden, Bloomberg, former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Bogeymen of the far left deserve a place in any Biden administration Overnight Defense: Woodward book causes new firestorm | Book says Trump lashed out at generals, told Woodward about secret weapons system | US withdrawing thousands of troops from Iraq MORE and Klobuchar. Both Buttigieg and Klobuchar placed behind Warren in the poll.

Klobuchar, who surged to a third-place finish in New Hampshire after a fifth-place showing in Iowa, has received increased media attention since then.

This was first time the poll tested Klobuchar against Trump. Like Warren had before, she beat the president 48 percent to 45 percent.

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Hart said Klobuchar's recent surge was behind the poll's decision to survey her over Warren.