Pete Buttigieg Jets To The Top As Clear Front-Runner In New Iowa Poll

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg has gained 16 percentage points since September to rocket to the top of a new Iowa poll, making him the current front-runner ahead of the Iowa caucuses.

Thats extremely encouraging, Buttigieg told reporters Saturday. Weve felt a lot of momentum on the ground. At the same time, theres a long way to go.

Among likely Democratic Iowa caucus participants, Buttigieg is the first choice for president, taking 25% , according to the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom survey. Rivals Joe Biden , Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are all in contention for second place, about 10 percentage points behind Buttigieg. Warren was in first place in September with 22% backing her, but has slipped to 16%, according to the Des Moines Register. Biden and Sanders currently both stand at 15%.

This is the first poll that shows Buttigieg as a stand-alone front-runner, J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co., which conducted the poll, told the Register. There have been four candidates that have sort of jostled around in a pack together, but he has a sizable lead over the nearest contender 9 points. So this is a new status for him.

Pete Buttigieg was at 1% in the @DMRegister's March poll. He now leads the pack with 25% picking him as their first choice. https://t.co/Gyql6KrkEK

Tyler Jett (@LetsJett) November 17, 2019","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Tyler Jett","author_url":"https://twitter.com/LetsJett","cache_age":86400,"description":"Pete Buttigieg was at 1% in the @DMRegister's March poll. He now leads the pack with 25% picking him as their first choice. https://t.co/Gyql6KrkEK Tyler Jett (@LetsJett) November 17, 2019\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Tyler Jett on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/LetsJett/status/1195874482013003776","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5dd09f1ae4b01f982f03291c","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/pete-buttigieg-iowa-caucus-poll-leader_n_5dd09f1ae4b01f982f03291c","entryTagsList":"politics-and-government,elections,joe-biden,iowa,pete-buttigieg,iowa-caucuses,michael-bloomberg,political-polls,percentage-point","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":14},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5dd09f1ae4b01f982f03291c","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Politics and Government","slug":"politics-and-government","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/politics-and-government","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/politics-and-government","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/politics-and-government"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Politics and Government","slug":"politics-and-government","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/politics-and-government"},{"name":"elections","slug":"elections","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/elections","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/elections","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/elections"},"relegenceSubjectId":979364,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Elections","slug":"elections","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/elections"},{"name":"Joe Biden ","slug":"joe-biden","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/joe-biden","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/joe-biden","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/joe-biden"},"relegenceId":3519431,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Joe Biden","slug":"joe-biden","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/joe-biden"},{"name":"Iowa","slug":"iowa","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/iowa","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/iowa","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/iowa"},"relegenceId":4225873,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Iowa","slug":"iowa","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/iowa"},{"name":"pete buttigieg","slug":"pete-buttigieg","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/pete-buttigieg","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/pete-buttigieg","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/pete-buttigieg"},"relegenceId":6426967,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Pete Buttigieg","slug":"pete-buttigieg","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/pete-buttigieg"},{"name":"Iowa Caucuses","slug":"iowa-caucuses","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/iowa-caucuses","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/iowa-caucuses","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/iowa-caucuses"},"relegenceId":3611070,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Iowa Caucus","slug":"iowa-caucus","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/iowa-caucus"},{"name":"Michael Bloomberg","slug":"michael-bloomberg","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/michael-bloomberg","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/michael-bloomberg","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/michael-bloomberg"},"relegenceId":2823502,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Media","slug":"media"},"topic":{"title":"Michael Bloomberg","slug":"michael-bloomberg","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/michael-bloomberg"},{"name":"political-polls","slug":"political-polls","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/political-polls","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/political-polls","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/political-polls"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Election Polls","slug":"election-polls","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/election-polls"},{"name":"Percentage point","slug":"percentage-point","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/percentage-point","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/percentage-point","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/percentage-point"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/percentage-point"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Pete Buttigieg was at 1% in the @DMRegister 's March poll. He now leads the pack with 25% picking him as their first choice. https://t.co/Gyql6KrkEK
Tyler Jett (@LetsJett) November 17, 2019

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is next closest to the top group in the latest poll with 6% backing. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker , California Sen. Kamala Harris and Andrew Yang all scored 3%.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who only recently expressed an interest in running, has 2%. Among those surveyed, 5% are not sure who theyll pick.

The front-runner in Iowa has switched a number of times in the poll in the past months. Its the first time Buttigieg has led the survey. But just 30% of likely caucus participants compared to 20% in September now say theyve made up their mind and are unlikely to switch their selection.

A Monmouth poll earlier this week found Buttigieg rising into the states crowded top tier of front-runners.

The Feb. 3 caucuses, the first of the Democratic contests, can serve as an early kingmaker by rocketing a candidate ahead of the pack for extra exposure before state primaries.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

The poll of 500 likely Democratic caucus participants was conducted Nov. 8-13 using live interviewers to reach both landlines and cellphones, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this post referred to Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as members of the U.S. House. They are U.S. senators.