Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersTrump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Sanders tells Maher 'there will be a number of plans' to remove Trump if he loses Sirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters MORE (I-Vt.) has cut former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Joe Biden should enact critical government reforms if he wins MORE's lead in South Carolina down to single digits, according to a new poll showing the Vermont Independent making inroads in the early-nominating state.

A Change Research–Post and Courier survey released Friday found Sanders with 20 percent support among likely primary voters, second only to Biden's 27 percent. Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) was third with 19 percent. No other candidate was in double digits.

The results from Change Research, a left-leaning pollster, showed Sanders performing better than in state surveys conducted by other polling outfits.

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A Quinnipiac University poll last month found Biden with a 20-point lead over Warren, who had 13 percent support. Sanders was third with 11 percent.

But the new survey shows a surging Sanders when compared with a Change Research–Post and Courier poll from October, when Biden was at 30 percent, followed by Warren at 19 percent and Sanders at 13 percent.

The most recent Change Research survey was conducted Dec. 6–11 among 998 likely primary voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Among the early-nominating states, Biden has been expected to have his strongest showing in South Carolina, in part because of his popularity among black voters.

An Economist-YouGov national poll this month found that 49 percent of black voters said Biden was their first choice among the Democratic presidential candidates. In contrast, only 13 percent chose Warren, while 11 percent picked Sanders.