Clinton, Sanders Locked in Tight Races in Iowa, N.H.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Three weeks before voting begins in the presidential contest, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are locked in tight races in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News/Marist poll.

Clinton holds a slim lead over Sanders, 48 percent to 45 percent, among likely Democratic caucus goers in Iowa, while Sanders leads Clinton, 50 percent to 46 percent, among likely Democratic primary voters in New Hampshire. Both are within the poll’s margins of error.

Clinton has led the race nationally for months. Recent polls showed Sanders inching ahead of Clinton in New Hampshire, which neighbors his home state of Vermont. But the poll shows Sanders is catching up to Clinton in Iowa as well.

Clinton and Sanders, as well as Martin O’Malley, will appear at the Iowa Brown & Black Democratic Forum in Des Moines Monday night.

Losses in the first two nominating states would be devastating for Clinton, though she is expected to do well in the early nominating state of South Carolina as well as other Southern states.

Sanders outperforms Clinton in hypothetical general election matchups in Iowa and New Hampshire, both swing states, primarily because he does better with independents.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are running even in Iowa while Trump leads in New Hampshire, according to the poll.