A second poll has Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, the openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana, leading in Iowa.

The telephone survey was conducted by J. Ann Selzer for CNN and the Des Moines Register.

The November poll has Buttigieg leading with 25 percent in the state. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was a distant second at 16 percent. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders were tied for third place with 15 percent.

Speaking with the Register, Selzer said: “There have been four candidates that have sort of jostled around in a pack, but [Buttigieg] has a sizable lead over the nearest contender – 9 points. So this is a new status for him.”

On Saturday, Buttigieg called the results “encouraging” but added that “there are a lot of states in this process.”

A Monmouth University poll released last week showed Buttigieg leading in the state with a 3 percent lead over Biden.

Iowa is a critical state because it holds the nation's first presidential contest. Winning in Iowa could translate into victories in subsequent states.

Buttigieg's campaign has invested heavily in Iowa.