IOWA, September 11, 2015– The latest polling out of Iowa spells bad news for Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton as U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) continues to surge and now leads in the crucial early state for the first time.

Released on Thursday, a Quinnipiac Poll shows Sanders taking 41 percent compared with Clinton’s 40 percent — and another 12 percent said they would support Vice President Joe Biden, who has yet to declare his 2016 intentions. Meanwhile, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley picked up 3 percent, while no other candidate registered above that mark, and 3 percent were undecided. Sanders’ slight edge is within the polls margin of error.

This compares to the results of a July 2 survey by the independent Quinnipiac Poll that had shown Clinton at 52 percent, with 33 percent for Sanders and 7 percent for Biden.

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The poll was conducted from Aug. 27-Sept. 8, surveying 832 likely Democratic caucus participants in Iowa by landlines and cellphones, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

The release of the poll comes on the heels of another poll showing Sanders strengthening his lead over Clinton in New Hampshire.

In an NBC/Marist poll published on September 5, 2015, Sanders jumped to a 9 point lead over Clinton, which was well outside of the poll’s 5.2 percent margin of error. While Sanders received 41 percent, Clinton took 32 percent and Biden took 16 percent. No other candidate registered more than 1 percent support.

Sanders first topped Clinton in New Hampshire during the first week of August.

According to the Real Clear Politics average, nationally, Clinton wins 46 percent, Sanders captures 23 percent, Biden takes 20 percent, and O’Malley and Webb both secure approximately 2 percent.

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