The new year dawns with former Vice President Joe Biden in a place where just a few months ago some pundits weren’t convinced he’d be — still very much in the mix for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Shortly after Biden entered the race in late April, national polls showed him with the support of 41% of Democratic primary voters. In short order that had fallen to 32% — a good showing given the large field of candidates.

Today, the Real Clear Politics polling averages have Biden’s support at 28.3% nationally, with Sen. Bernie Sanders at 19.1%. Third is Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 15.1%, then Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 8.3%.

This is telling because those other candidates have surged at times and seemingly knocked Biden aside. But he’s not gone anywhere.