AP Photo Poll: Post-debate, smaller bump for Clinton among Dems

Last week's Democratic debate did little for Hillary Clinton in the latest national poll released Monday morning, but the former secretary of state is still far in front, according to the results of the CNN/ORC poll of registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independent voters.

The former secretary of state led the field with 45 percent, followed by 29 percent for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and 18 percent for Vice President Joe Biden, who is still in the process of deciding whether he wants to undertake a third bid for the White House. Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb took in just 1 percent, while former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Rhode Island Gov. and Sen. Lincoln Chafee failed to register. In the previous CNN/ORC national poll of Democrats, Clinton picked up 42 percent to Sanders' 24 percent. In the same survey, Biden took in slightly more last time, at 22 percent.


On the issues, Clinton led Sanders on health care (52 percent to 26 percent), the economy (48 percent to 29 percent), race relations (49 percent to 26 percent), climate change (43 percent to 29 percent), foreign policy (62 percent to 20 percent) and income inequality (43 percent to 38 percent). On gun policies, Clinton led Biden 44 percent to 21 percent, while Sanders earned 20 percent.

Satisfaction about the overall field of candidates is up among Democrats, with 33 percent saying they are very satisfied and 38 percent fairly satisfied. In July, those figures were 25 percent and 46 percent, respectively.

The poll was conducted by telephone from Oct. 14 to 17, surveying 425 registered Democratic and Democratic-leaning independent voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.