While last week’s Democratic presidential debate didn’t have a major impact on the frontrunners, it did give a perception boost to second-tier candidates—and Andrew Yang in particular.
That’s the big takeaway from Morning Consult’s latest survey, which saw Yang ride a 7% percent jump in net favorability, launching him into fourth place among primary contenders. That puts him one percentage point ahead of Pete Buttigieg at 34% net favorability, which represents the share of respondents with favorable views of a candidate minus the share with unfavorable views.
Other lower-profile candidates also saw a boost in likability, including Buttigieg (who rose from 30% to 33%), Amy Klobuchar (21% to 26%), and Tom Steyer (15% to 20%), while Joe Biden picked up a percentage point to reach 49%.
Candidates whose scores dropped after the debate include Bernie Sanders (57% to 54%) and Elizabeth Warren (45% to 44%). Tulsi Gabbard, who did not participate in the debate, saw her net favorability plummet from -1% to -%12.
Despite the more positive vibes, Morning Consult says none of the candidates saw their positions change in its poll of voters’ first choices. Biden still leads at 31%, followed by Sanders at 21%, Warren at 15%, and Buttigieg at 9%.
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