Boxer vs. Forina: Democratic edge

28 July 2010 |permalink | email article

While the Nov. 2 California showdown between Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman for governor is getting the lion’s share of attention political railbirds are taking a closer look at the race between three-term Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and Republican challenger Carly Fiorina. Like Whitman, Fiorina is a former CEO of a major company, but both lack any political experience.

A Field Poll released July 8 showed Boxer ahead of Fiorina by just 47 % to 44%, a statistical dead heat. The bad news for Boxer was that nearly half, 48% of likely voters disapprove of her performance, while 42% approve. And 52% gave her an unfavorable rating.

But in a survey released Tuesday by Public Policy Polling Boxer led Fiorina 49% to 40%. Since the primary election Boxer increased her lead by 6 percentage points. California voters have mixed opinions of Boxer’s job performance; 46% of voters disapprove of her work in Washington, and 44% approve of the Senator, including 72% of Democrats and 40% of independents.

Fiorina fares less well with Californians; 40% have an unfavorable opinion of her, 28% give her high marks and 32% have yet to form an opinion, What could be telling is that just 56% of Republicans support Fiorina and 25% are still unsure about their nominee.

What’s astonishing is that the National Republican Senatorial Committee has reserved $1.75 million of television ads to help Fiorina in the final week of the campaign. In the past the committee has been reluctant to spend money in California races because Democrats have such a huge edge in voter registration and the races are so expensive.

More stunning is that Republicans plan to target the Los Angeles media market with money to buy enough air time for viewers to see a Fiorina ad – at least in part – ten times. An NRSC spokeswoman sees the race as “a highly competitive pickup opportunity” for the GOP.” In point of fact the L.A. media market is heavily Democratic. 
More L.A.

The Republican National Committee has invited conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart to participate in a private GOP fundraiser with party Chairman Michael Steele next month in Beverly Hills. Breitbart was the architect behind an edited video clip that suggested that Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod, who is black, denied a white Georgia farmer aid. The speech, when viewed in full, showed the opposite, but Breitbart has not apologized. 

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