Poll: Hillary Clinton leads in March primary states

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A new poll finds sizable leads for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in states that hold primaries in early March, as well as states with more black voters.

Public Policy Polling found Clinton comfortably ahead in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Sen. Bernie Sanders has overwhelming support -- 86 percent of Democrats -- in his home state of Vermont. He holds a narrow seven-point lead over Clinton in Massachusetts, and the race in Oklahoma is even closer; Clinton leads with 46 percent, while Sanders is close behind with 44 percent.

All the states tested will hold Democratic primaries between March 1 and 8.

Compared to Clinton, Sanders fails to win more than 22 percent of voters in any state with more black voters than the national average. Clinton leads well ahead in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia among black Democrats.

The poll was conducted between Feb. 14 and 16 and surveyed about 500 likely Democratic primary voters in each state holding a Democratic primary between March 1 and 8. The average margin of error was between 4 and 5 percentage points.