Poll Shows Biden Leading 2020 Democrats Despite Scandal

(CN) – A poll released Monday showed Democrat and former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential 2020 presidential candidate, has weathered the recent scandals involving inappropriate touching of women, and remains the front-runner in a big field of Democrats.

Biden earned 28% support from respondents, compared to 20% for the next closest candidate – Senator Bernie Sanders, according to the Hill-HarrisX poll.

“I would say that U.S. voters still skew older, and that's what gives Biden a lot more traction among registered voters and the general population than what Sanders has," pollster Dritan Nesho told The Hill on Monday.

Biden has yet to formally enter the race but whispers continue to percolate that he will do so before long.

He spent the past couple weeks fending off accusations by seven women that he invaded their personal space and touched them without asking permission, but it appears the accusations and the attendant media fray have done little to dent his prospects.

Biden and Sanders are well ahead of the rest of the field.

Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of Texas, garnered only 8.3% of support from all respondents, though he did better with independents and voters aged 35 to 49.

However, 17.3% of the respondents sided with the “Other” category in the poll, indicating just how unsettled the Democratic primary remains as the country is a little less than two years out from the presidential election.

Congressman Eric Swalwell of California announced his bid on Monday, but was not included in the polling.

Stacey Abrams, Steve Bullock, and Terry McAuliffe are mulling potential runs, meaning the current slate of 15 major candidates for the Democratic nomination could swell further in coming months.

In the latest poll, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts made a little headway on the field, leaping over Sen. Kamala Harris of California for fourth place at 7.6%. Harris, who’s draw criticism from some liberal voters because of her prosecutorial record, gathered 6.3% support.

Sen. Corey Booker of New Jersey received 4%, while South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg received 3%.

Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Amy Klobuchar, from New York and Minnesota respectively, earned 2%.

Biden earned the largest support among Democrats, getting 36% of their vote, while Sanders garnered 19% of the vote among party loyalists. Harris won the third-most support from Democrats at 9%.

The poll was conducted April 5-6 and included more than 1,000 respondents.

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