"The [poll] finds Bloomberg with 26 percent support when Likely Democratic Voters are asked which candidate would best represent the party and make the best candidate against President [Donald] Trump in November. Biden is a close second at 22 percent. Sanders is next with 18 percent of the Democratic vote," a press release summarizing the poll said.
South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg has 12 per cent support among his fellow Democrats, followed by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar with 7 per cent and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren with 6 per cent, the release added.
Bloomberg has already spent between $250 million and $300 million of his own money on television, radio and social media advertisements, according to media reports. He reportedly expects to spend up to $1 billion of his fortune in a bid for the US presidency.
Despite Bloomberg’s surge, Democratic voters expressed scepticism when asked who is most likely to win the nomination, the release said. Twenty-four per cent picked Senator Bernie Sanders, another 24 per cent picked former Vice President Joe Biden, while 21 per cent chose Bloomberg.