Poll: Support for recall, Schwarzenegger grows (Field Poll)

Mercury News ^ | Oct. 03, 2003 | Barry Witt

[Tamzee]

Just four days before Tuesday's recall election, Californians by an increasingly wide margin want to replace Democratic Gov. Gray Davis with Republican actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Field Poll released today says.

A survey conducted from Monday through Wednesday showed 57 percent of voters supporting the recall of Davis, while 39 percent are opposed. In the race to replace Davis, Schwarzenegger leads Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante 36 percent to 26 percent, according to the poll, which is the third this week to show the actor gaining momentum and Davis losing ground.

The poll shows that support for the recall and for Schwarzenegger has grown in just the past few days, though voters were surveyed before six women said in reports published Thursday that the actor had touched them in a sexual manner without their consent. Schwarzenegger's lead increased since voters were surveyed by Field on Sept. 25-28, when he and Bustamante were in a dead heat. And during that period, 53 percent supported the recall and 43 percent were opposed.

Jaime Sanders is just one voter, but her opinion appears to be widely shared around the state.

``I don't think Davis has handled the job very well,'' the 26-year-old student from Redwood Shores said. Although Davis touted himself when he first ran for governor in 1998 as ``the best-trained governor-in-waiting California has ever produced,'' his management of the electricity crisis and a weak economy appears to have doomed him.

``The word `politician' isn't acceptable among those of us who don't want to hear what the elites in the government want to do,'' said Sanders, a Democrat.

Instead, she's supporting Schwarzenegger because ``he's not a politician, and the fact that he has a lot of money so he has no reason to be swayed to spend money on things we shouldn't be spending money on.'' She said reports of Schwarzenegger's behavior toward women didn't change her mind, adding, ``It's just rumor and you can't really be sure if any of that is true.''

It's among Californians like Sanders who are age 39 and younger that Davis is doing particularly poorly, with nearly two-thirds of voters in that age range wanting to recall him, according to the poll. He has a majority of support only among voters 65 and older.

The governor's greatest vulnerability comes from his failure to lock up Democratic voters, with 28 percent supporting the recall.

Bustamante, likewise, has limited support among members of his party, with 49 percent of Democrats supporting his candidacy, according to the poll. That's significantly lower than the 63 percent of Republicans supporting Schwarzenegger, despite the fact that a second major Republican candidate, state Sen. Tom McClintock, remains an active player in the race, drawing 16 percent of all those polled.

[b9]

"And we can all start singing "I was Republican before Republican was cool!" "

darn tootin :o)

[KQQL]

You dislike of Arnold keeps ticking..lol

[b9]

"I don't beleif him, this is a ratings ploy. "

Or free advertising? :o)

[onyx]

Tuesday is PAYBACK DAY for all the smears and treachery.

moveon.org's ad is not worth repeating --- it's on par with savemarriageincalifornia.org's ad for McC --- in which this frightening organization make the fallacious claim that Arnold is pro-abortion from conception to 9 months.

I'm waiting to hear it one more time to make certain the organization's exact name.

[BenLurkin]

We`re not going to take it
No, We ain`t gonna take it
We`re not going to take it
Anymore

We got the right to choose it
There ain`t no way to lose it
This is our life
This is our song
We`ll fight the powers to think just...
Don`t think that we`re dumb `cause...
You don`t know us
You don`t belong

We`re not going to take it
No, we ain`t gonna take it
We`re not going to take it
Anymore

Oh, you are so condescending
You`re goal is never-ending
We don`t want nothing, not a thing from you
You`re life is trying to change it
Following the conversation
You did your best
Your best won`t

Woah oh oh
Woah oh oh
We`re right, yeah
We`re free, yeah
We`ll fight, yeah
You`ll see

We`re not going to take it
No, we ain`t gonnna take it
We`re not going to take it
Anymore

[b9]

"Wonder if we're going to see some push polls showing the recall going down in flames... (a good way might be to ask the people about the groping/Hitler accusations before polling on the preferences) "

The polls are bound to reflect that to some degree, but by and large folks are so sick of Davis, that disgust seems to be trumping any stink bombs.

[b9]

"We`re not going to take it No, We ain`t gonna take it We`re not going to take it Anymore "

LOL Hugh Hewitt had Arnold's theme song on just now and it's been in my head ever since the rally yesterday...Thanks for all the words! :o)

[usadave]

Gray has threatened a weekend of slime and I believe him.

Gray Davis is slime.

[alwaysconservative]

Thanks for the ping! Interesting numbers. No wonder the left is seething. Have you seen the people around Cruz, Gray, and the woman who says that he touched her "ahhhhss" 24 years ago? It's hard to imagine a more grumpy-looking, bilious group of wet blankets! Ha! The left truly does NOT get it!

[VOA]

Gray Davis, keep on digging the hole!

[KE]

I just heard Chris Matthews say on HARDBALL that he voted for GWB in 2000

The guy that does the focus groups etc. was on and Chris said something twice about "Yeah, I voted Republicn a couple of times". the guy looked shocked. Chris said "I can see I shocked you, but I have voted Republicn." "Yeah, I voted for Bush."

He didn't say which Bush??

Karen

[BobS]

"ABC has a post-smear poll: Arnold gained!"

Of course Arnold gained! I would like Arnold to talk about all those times HE was assaulted by women! And stage a forum for ALL THOSE women to meet with the ones he feeled up! Put them in a big room with C-Span and see what happens! I want to know the result!

[BobS]

I never touch a woman's rear end after the first few kisses. What's that all about?

[KE]

A woman on now with Gretta talking about the British woman from the year 2000. Was doing an interview with Arnold - She is the one who got too friendly with Arnold - and Grettas' guest wouldn't tell what happened in the room, but that the lady doing the interview with Arnold had to be escorted from the room!

Rep. Drier is on with Joe Scar. - Said that Arnold is outraged about the Hitler article - Everyone seems to be out tonight talking about all that he does for the Holocaust society, moneyraising, giving of his own time and money etc.... Also Drier told the story about Arnold being 17 years old in Gras and he and some friends chased some Natzi's out of Gras?

Karen

[DoctorZIn]

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[Tamzee]

Thank you kindly for the great figures!

I noticed support for Davis is going up... not only are the Clintons campaigning for Davis, but the unions are spending $5 million this week sending people door-to-door trying to convince voters to go against the recall :-(

GO Arnold!!!

[Tamzee]

the fallacious claim that Arnold is pro-abortion from conception to 9 months.

Yep, and now "principled" conservative are repeating that exact same garbage here on the threads.

BTW, I live in a hugely liberal area and don't know a single pro-lifer in our community. Yet out of all the pro-choice women I know that I've talked politics with, none think abortion should be allowed in the last trimester and all support a ban on partial-birth abortion.

[Tamzee]

It's hard to imagine a more grumpy-looking, bilious group of wet blankets!

Puuurrr-fect ;-)

[MeekOneGOP]

Just 3 days until Davis is dumped !! ...

"Hasta La Vista, Baby !!"
(Click here or on the pics !)

[MeekOneGOP]

Caption the Useful Idiot
(Santa Cruz "Impeach Bush" Supporter)