Warren edges ahead of Biden in latest US polls

[WASHINGTON] US Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has squeezed ahead of long-time front-runner Joe Biden for the first time, according to compiled polls released on Tuesday.

The race for the party nomination has tightened sharply since May as Mr Biden dipped in the polls and Ms Warren's support soared.

The RealClearPolitics poll average put Ms Warren on 26.6 per cent and Mr Biden on 26.4 per cent in the Democratic primary contest to take on President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

Ms Warren, 70, a progressive senator from Massachusetts, has campaigned strongly through the summer, while centrist former vice-president Joe Biden, 76, has been hit by health concerns and gaffes.

Mr Biden in recent weeks has also been caught in the maelstrom as Mr Trump faces an impeachment inquiry over accusations he pressed Ukraine for damaging information on Mr Biden and his son.

Ms Warren raised US$24.6 million in third-quarter contributions to her White House campaign, her office said last week, easily beating Mr Biden and rivalling fellow progressive Bernie Sanders.

The July-to-September haul came from 943,000 donations with an average contribution of US$26, Ms Warren's team said.

Ms Warren has prided herself on not accepting contributions from corporations or holding closed-door fundraisers with wealthy donors.

Mr Biden raised US$15.2 million for the quarter, while Mr Sanders, who is third at 14.6 per cent in the polls, raked in US$25.3 million for the period, the most of any Democratic 2020 candidate.

Mr Sanders, 78, was released from hospital on Friday three days after suffering a minor heart attack.

"I certainly intend to be actively campaigning," he said on Tuesday, suggesting however he may cut back his schedule.

"I think we can change the nature of the campaign a bit, make sure that I have the strength to do what I have to do.

"We're gonna, you know, probably not do three or four rallies a day," he told reporters after visiting a cardiologist in his hometown of Burlington, Vermomt.

The top 12 contestants will compete on October 15 in a fourth televised debate in Ohio, with another debate in Georgia on November 20.

AFP