Washington Hillary Clinton's lead in the Democratic presidential primary race has grown - and if Vice President Joe Biden decides to stay out of the race, her numbers would rise even higher, a new CNN/ORC poll shows .
Clinton is backed by 42% of Democratic primary voters nationally, compared to 24% for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, 22% for Biden and 1% for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.
While Clinton has led national polls, she has been found trailing in New Hampshire and at times in Iowa - two key early voting states.
And her downward trend nationally - amid questions about her use of a private email server during her tenure as President Barack Obama's secretary of state - has fueled speculation of a late Biden entry, and provided the vice president with an opening even as he grieves the death of his son Beau Biden.
