Elizabeth Warren is narrowly ahead in the race to be the Democratic presidential candidate, according to latest polls (Frederic J. BROWN)

Washington (AFP) – 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 Tuesday.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.