Poll: Clinton leads Sanders by 9 points in Iowa

The economy is the top priority for Iowa Democratic caucusgoers, and they believe Bernie Sanders would be better at handling economic issues than rival Hillary Clinton.

More of these voters think he cares about people like them than Clinton.

But Sanders still hasn't convinced enough of them that he has the right experience to be president, or that he'd be better than Clinton at defeating the GOP nominee, a new Quinnipiac University poll in Iowa shows.

Clinton currently has the support of 51% in the three-way Democratic horse race; Sanders gets 42%. And Martin O'Malley, a former Maryland governor, has just 4%.

Three percent of Iowa likely Democratic caucusgoers remain undecided, according to the Nov. 16-22 poll.

These results are almost unchanged from the last Quinnipiac survey in Iowa, in late October, which showed Clinton at 51% and Sanders at 40%.

"It's not that Iowa Democrats are in love with Secretary Clinton right now," Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said in a news release Wednesday morning. "They even think Sanders would be better handling the economy, generally the hallmark of the candidate who wins the Democratic nomination. But despite all the things about Clinton that gives Democrats pause, there is one thing that unites them: She looks like a winner in November."

Sanders, a Vermont U.S. senator, can best handle the economy, 47% of Iowa Dem caucusgoers say; 42% say Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of State, would be best.

Clinton cares about their needs and problems, 80% say. An even stronger number, 92%, said that about Sanders.

Ninety-five percent say Clinton has right kind of experience to be president; 66% think Sanders has right experience.

Sanders wins with "liberal" Iowa D caucusgoers. He's 10 points over Clinton for "very" liberal caucusgoers, and 2 points up with those who describe themselves as "somewhat" liberal.

She wins with women 57% to 36%.

Jacobs reports for The Des Moines Register.