AP Photo Poll: Clinton trounces her rivals in Nevada, South Carolina

Hillary Clinton might be in for a fight in Iowa and New Hampshire, if the latest polling is any indication.

But the former secretary of state is trouncing her Democratic rivals in the latest polling from the early voting states of South Carolina and Nevada, according to the results of CNN/ORC surveys released Monday. And if Vice President Joe Biden decides against a third run at the White House, her advantage only grows.


Among Nevada Democrats likely to caucus on Feb. 20, the poll shows Clinton with 50 percent of support, followed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at 34 percent and Biden at 12 percent. The rest of the Democrats earned less than 1 percent.

The results come a day before Clinton and her Democratic rivals take the stage in Las Vegas for the first primary debate on CNN.

In South Carolina, 49 percent of likely primary voters went for Clinton, followed by Biden with 24 percent, Sanders with 18 percent and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley at 3 percent.

Should Biden opt to sit out 2016, however, Clinton's lead jumps to 58 percent in Nevada and 70 percent in South Carolina. Sanders stands to gain just 2 points in Nevada, up to 36 percent.

Clinton also commanded a strong advantage among black voters in South Carolina, earning 59 percent, while Biden and Sanders trailed with 27 percent and 4 percent, respectively. White voters in the state preferred Sanders to Clinton, 44 percent to 31 percent, with 22 percent for the vice president.

The polls were conducted via telephone from Oct. 3-10, surveying 301 likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points, and 253 likely Democratic caucus participants in Nevada, with a margin of error of plus or minus 6 percentage points.