Poll: Sanders now leading 2020 Democrats by 15 points

Progressive Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation Clyburn: Biden falling short on naming Black figures to top posts Prepare for buyers' remorse when Biden/Harris nationalize health care MORE (I-Vt.) has jumped out to a double-digit lead over the rest of the 2020 Democratic primary field, appearing to cement his position as the front-runner to win the party's presidential nomination, according to a new ABC News-Washington Post poll. 

The survey found that 32 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents favor Sanders, an 8-point increase from a similar poll conducted last month. Meanwhile, former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump says he'll leave White House if Biden declared winner of Electoral College The Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation US records 2,300 COVID-19 deaths as pandemic rises with holidays MORE's support dropped 11 points to 17 percent, giving Sanders a 15-point lead against his nearest competitor. The 15-point margin is nearly double Biden's biggest lead in the ABC News-Washington Post surveys during the 2020 cycle. 

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who will appear in his first 2020 presidential debate in Nevada on Wednesday night, trails Biden in third with 14 percent support. The figure represents a 6-point climb since January. 

The rest of the field had little movement over the past month. Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenThe Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation Disney laying off 32,000 workers as coronavirus batters theme parks Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams among nominees for Time magazine's 2020 Person of the Year MORE's (D-Mass.) support stayed stagnant at 11 percent, while former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPete Buttigieg'Biff is president': Michael J. Fox says Trump has played on 'every worst instinct in mankind' Buttigieg: Denying Biden intelligence briefings is about protecting Trump's 'ego' Biden's win is not a policy mandate — he should govern accordingly MORE experienced a 2-point jump to 7 percent support. Buttigieg appears to be leading the field in the delegate count, but he has struggled to form a diverse coalition of support outside of predominantly white early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire. 

Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: YouTube suspends OANN amid lawmaker pressure | Dems probe Facebook, Twitter over Georgia runoff | FCC reaffirms ZTE's national security risk Democrats urge YouTube to remove election misinformation, step up efforts ahead of Georgia runoff YouTube temporarily suspends OANN account after spreading coronavirus misinformation MORE (D-Minn.), who finished in third in New Hampshire after a strong debate performance, has just 6 percent support in the new poll. 

The survey indicates that Sanders is beginning to gain key support on the electability question, which has dominated the Democratic primary. Thirty percent of respondents said that they thought the self-described democratic socialist had the best chance of defeating President TrumpDonald John TrumpVenezuela judge orders prison time for 6 American oil executives Trump says he'll leave White House if Biden declared winner of Electoral College The Memo: Biden faces tough road on pledge to heal nation MORE, a 12-point jump since January. 

Just 19 percent of respondents said that Biden had the best chance of beating Trump, a sizable 19-point dip since last month. Eighteen percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters say Bloomberg has the best shot to win the White House. No other candidate received double-digit support in that category. 

The ABC News-Washington Post survey falls in line with other polls focused on the Democratic race. An NPR–PBS NewsHour–Marist poll released on Tuesday found Sanders with a 12-point lead over the field. 

His rise has coincided with a similar upward climb from Bloomberg, the billionaire businessman who is pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into his campaign. Several Democratic candidates have criticized Bloomberg's presidential bid.

The ABC News-Washington Post survey was conducted among a random national sample of 1,066 adults between Feb. 14 and Feb. 17. It has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.