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Bernie Sanders gets nearly double the support from Fox News viewers (22%) than he gets from MSNBC viewers (13%) in a new poll.

Bernie Sanders is more popular with Fox News viewers than MSNBC viewers

According to a new Morning Consult poll that breaks down support for Democratic candidates based on what media they consume, “The Vermont senator has 22% of the share of Fox News viewers, but only 13% of support among MSNBC viewers.” Fox News is Sen. Sanders best-performing media category followed by Wall Street Journal readers (19%), New York Times and Washington Post readers (17% each). Sanders is getting beaten badly by Biden with both MSNBC viewers (44%-13%) and Fox News viewers (42%-22%). Among MSNBC viewers, Elizabeth Warren is closest to Sanders (10%) followed by Pete Buttigieg (9%), Kamala Harris (7%), and Beto O’Rourke (5%).

Fox News viewers like Sanders more because they think he will be easier for Trump to beat

The Republican Party and Fox News have been very open about wanting to run against socialism in 2020, so the support for Sanders among Fox News viewers makes perfect sense in this context. Fox News viewers overwhelmingly support Trump, and some of them would want the candidate who is they feel would make the easiest matchup for Trump.

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Fox News viewers are closer to the demographic that supports Bernie Sanders. Fox News viewers are mostly white and male, while MSNBC is the top-rated cable news network with African-Americans. MSNBC’s viewership is also made up of rank and file Democrats who are the kind of voters that Sanders has failed to attract for four years.

Joe Biden is strong with both viewerships. No other Democrat outside of Biden, Sanders, and Warren has broken through yet. Named recognition is still precious at this stage of the primary. If a non-Biden or Sanders candidate starts winning primaries, their support with cable news viewers will shift rapidly.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

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