California Politics: New Poll

30 June 2010 |permalink | email article

Democratic candidates for the Senate and governor hold a slight edge over their Republican opponents as voters worry about a weak economy with four months to go before the November election, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll of 600 registered voters found.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer holds a small edge over Republican Carly Fiorina – 45 percent to 41 percent – in Boxer’s bid for a fourth term in the Nov. 2 congressional elections.

Former California Gov. Jerry Brown leads Republican candidate Meg Whitman by 45 percent to 39 percent in their race to succeed Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. Ipsos poll analyst Clifford Young said the fact that Democrats are leading is not unusual since they have better name identification but as the campaign progresses “we should see some sort of diminution of that advantage.”

But Democrats, who have a substantial registration advantage, believe by 68 percent that green energy policies will drive investment in green energy and jobs, while 62 percent of Republicans believe it will create higher energy costs.

The poll, which also found that 78 percent of voters believe that the state is on the wrong track, has an error margin of plus or minus four percent. On the hot debate over legalizing marijuana, 48 percent are in favor, with 50 percent opposed.

Kagan

The standard mantra among conservatives until now has been to oppose almost anything that President Obama supports. But a fascinating divide has developed over the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan. Former Bush solicitor general Kenneth Starr supports her, citing her academic career and tenure as solicitor general. But Ed Meese, the California conservative who was attorney general in the Reagan administration, describes Kagan as “anti-constitutionalist.” Despite nasty opposition by some GOP members on the Senate Judiciary Committee Kagan will be confirmed.

263