after a poll was made in february 2017, 20% of democratic voters wanted sanders to be the party's nominee in the 2020 presidential election, leading hillary clinton at 17% and elizabeth warren at 15%. in march 2017, at 14%, sanders was the democratic voters front-runner for the democratic nomination in 2020, beating michelle obama at 11%. in september 2017, at a polling of 28%, sanders remained the lead candidate for the democratic party nominee in the 2020 election beating warren, former vice president joe biden and senator from california kamala harris. in most of the 2018 polls, sanders leading the nomination in second place, behind former vice president biden. during the 2019 debate season, sanders, elizabeth warren and biden are seen as the top candidates in the primaries.