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Field Poll Shows Incumbent Governor Davis In Trouble
Bill Simon for Governor ^ | 4/27/02 | Staff

Posted on 04/28/2002 1:55:26 PM PDT by Liz

Just As Poor Among Women (43%) As Among Men (43%)
Davis is Among the Most Vulnerable Incumbent Governors in the Nation

The statewide Field Poll of only 546 self-described registered and likely voters (not proven likely voters) that is in newspapers today shows a very distorted picture of the election for Governor. While it clearly highlights that Governor Davis is in big trouble, the flawed methodology of the Field Poll shows much of the anti-Davis vote in the undecided category. Do not be distracted by the ballot test comparing Gray Davis and Bill Simon - the real news in this poll is that Gray Davis continues to languish well below 50%, a danger sign for incumbents. In fact, even according to Field, 57% of voters - who all have heard of Gray Davis - will not vote for his re-election.

-- "Davis backers viewed the new information with caution, perhaps reflecting internal Democratic polls that show the race much closer than the Field Poll suggests." (San Jose Mercury News)

-- "The Field Poll looked better for Davis than several polls by private organizations floating around Sacramento, and the governor's campaign reacted cautiously. " (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Noted political analyst Stuart Rothenberg declared earlier in the month on CNN:

-- "I don't want to argue on whether or not Gray Davis has done a good job or a bad job. I just want to look at the numbers. And the numbers say he has done a terrible job. His numbers stink. This is a guy with awful reelect numbers, also job approval. And he's losing to a guy who has enough never run for office before on a ballot test."

[Note that Rothenberg is aware of and believes the private polls showing Simon ahead]

The Field Poll's different sampling techniques yield results that stand in stark contrast to every other poll since the March 5 primary. There have been at least five professional polls taken privately since the primary election -- which show Davis in the high 30's/low 40's and have Bill Simon winning in each instance.

-- The Field Poll is different from professional campaign polls because Field calls all California residents randomly and asks them if they are registered to vote and if they are likely to vote. This samples too large a group of voters - including many voters who will never vote and have not been paying attention to the race. Most professional polls exclude these unlikely voters until they express some greater sentiment for voting. In addition, casual voters will tend to forget who the challenger is and default to undecided against an incumbent they know and dislike.

The poll further confirms suspicions that career politician and incumbent Governor Gray Davis, whose Administration has been rocked by energy, education and budget failures, continues to see his re-election prospects rejected by Californians. Governors who poll less than 50% in polls after the primary almost always lose. Despite the methodological bias in the Field Poll, it shows that we are in an excellent position to overtake Davis once our advertising campaign begins.

Davis tax attacks fail: By a margin of 51% to 44%, Californians say Simon doesn't need to make his tax returns public. 60% said Simon's refusal would have no effect on the way they vote, and more believe Simon when he says he paid substantial taxes.

Davis wedge issue attacks fail: Despite Davis' efforts to change the subject away from his failed leadership and toward divisive wedge issues, Davis suffers equally low re-election scores among both men and women. 57% percent of both sexes refuse to vote for Davis for re-election.

Every publicly released poll of likely voters shows Bill Simon leading the incumbent Governor.

-- The political polling firm, Public Opinion Strategies Inc. (POS), revealed Bill Simon leads Gray Davis 48% to 41% among registered voters. These results were later confirmed in an April survey by another independent poll conducted by Probolsky & Associates Opinion Research, showing Davis attracting the support of less than 38% of voters; Simon garnered the support of 44% in the poll.

-- Even organizations that traditionally favor Democrats are finding that Simon is leading. A poll of voters making the rounds in Sacramento in recent days commissioned by a large labor organization that has endorsed Governor Davis shows Simon leading Davis 41%-37%.

An incumbent posting a ballot score below 50% is considered highly vulnerable. Here are the last four public polls showing Davis in big trouble:

Public Opinion Strategies: 41% Probolsky and Associates: 38% Labor Union: 37% Field Poll: 43%


TOPICS: Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: calgov2002; calpowercrisis
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EXCERPT: (Davis').....Administration has been rocked by energy, education and budget failures.....

Oh, is that all? On the three biggest issues for voters, graydavis failed. What more do voters need to know?

1 posted on 04/28/2002 1:55:26 PM PDT by Liz
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To: grampadave;ernest_at_the_beach
.........good news for Simon ping.........
2 posted on 04/28/2002 1:56:17 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
Those voters who would vote for Davis, could not express their opinion because their wireless digital phones do not work without electricity.
3 posted on 04/28/2002 1:58:26 PM PDT by Nuke'm Glowing
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To: Liz
Purge Davis for Sanity!
4 posted on 04/28/2002 1:58:54 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: Liz
In fact, even according to Field, 57% of voters - who all have heard of Gray Davis - will not vote for his re-election.

This number is the key to this whole poll.....watch this number in the lead up to the general election....

5 posted on 04/28/2002 1:59:11 PM PDT by Dog
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To: Liz
Californians voted overwhelmingly for Al Gore. I trust them to be stupid enough to re-elect Gray Davis, too.
6 posted on 04/28/2002 2:05:08 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
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To: ElkGroveDan
Dump Davis ping
7 posted on 04/28/2002 2:06:50 PM PDT by Regulator
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546 is an awfully small sample size. I don't think any poll under 1000 should be taken seriously.
8 posted on 04/28/2002 2:06:51 PM PDT by Diddle E. Squat
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To: Dog;grampadave
(57%) This number is the key to this whole poll........
watch this number in the lead up to the general election....

That is an unbelievably unfavorable number for an incumbent. They go ballistic
when their negatives approach 50%. Over 50% and its "hasta la vista, baby."

9 posted on 04/28/2002 2:08:32 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
Good News? It still shows Simon behind, largely unknown, and shows Davis with opportunity to smear and "label" Simon, if Simon doesnt first define himself.

IT ALSO SHOWS THE DAVIS IS A FAILED GOVERNOR IN THE EYES OF MOST VOTER WHO DESERVES TO BE DUMPED.

COME OUT SWINGING, BILL SIMON! Campaign hard and get your message out there!

10 posted on 04/28/2002 2:10:21 PM PDT by WOSG
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To: Nuke'm Glowing
Those voters who would vote for Davis, could not express their opinion
because their wireless digital phones do not work without electricity.

LOL. Would make a great Simon ad........guy wearing a Davis button who can't get connected......

11 posted on 04/28/2002 2:10:38 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Liz
EXCERPT: (Davis').....Administration has been rocked by energy, education and budget failures.....

Not to mention the proposed surtax to compensate the descendents of former slaves in the form of reparations.

I'm sure this will be levied only against evil, white, heterosexual males just to make it fair.

12 posted on 04/28/2002 2:11:50 PM PDT by Euro-American Scum
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To: WOSG
Simon has to snatch victory from the jaws of victory (irony intended). It's his to lose.
13 posted on 04/28/2002 2:12:33 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Dare to be an optimist. Davis re-elect numbers are under 50%. This is SIGN #1 of an incumbent in a losing re-election race. I am not saying Simon *will* win, I am saying Simon *can* win. With your help!
14 posted on 04/28/2002 2:12:53 PM PDT by WOSG
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Californians voted overwhelmingly for Al Gore. I trust
them to be stupid enough to re-elect Gray Davis, too.

They also voted for Ronald Reagan once upon a time. Keep hope alive.

15 posted on 04/28/2002 2:16:05 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Gophack; TheAngryClam; BibChr; Brian Allen ; CalGov2002; Brad's Gramma; Dan from Michigan...
SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT PING
16 posted on 04/28/2002 2:16:49 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan
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To: Euro-American Scum
(Davis failed at energy, budget and education issues) Not to mention the proposed
surtax to compensate the descendents of former slaves in the form of reparations.

Oh yeah, another graydavis "populace" issue. This guy is good at picking issues, isn't he?

17 posted on 04/28/2002 2:20:10 PM PDT by Liz
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To: Euro-American Scum
Re the reparation scam from Scummy Davis, I agree totally with you.

Here is a reply I made on this scam on another thread:

To: ElkGroveDan

Well, he and the other affirmative action/pc maggots in Kali will try to make everybody eligible for reparations.

In Kali we have people from the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific Islands, white women, and of course the broad category of Hispanics getting preferential affirmative action treatment. Not a single one had a ancestor who was a slave in America in our early days. Yet they benefit from the affirmative actions programs which started out as step one in the reparation scheme.

Davis knows this, and this reparations is code to all who are not evil white conservative males. It says, "Vote for me, and I will screw the evil white conservative males and pay you well for your vote!"

ABORT DAVIS FOR SANITY!

Reply #65 posted on 4/28/02 9:21 AM Pacific by Grampa Dave

18 posted on 04/28/2002 2:22:06 PM PDT by Grampa Dave
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To: ElkGroveDan
Thank God! GO SIMON GO!!!
19 posted on 04/28/2002 2:25:05 PM PDT by katherineisgreat
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To: Liz
This is going to become irrational and nasty. In other words, mud is going to be slung as the dims fear losing power. Don't underestimate the dim critters you will see slander out the ol wazoo. The dims will have Simon as the devil harming the "CHILDRENNNNN". Simon will be shown to be a backer of Charley Manson or worse. Gotta love it as the liberal dumbasses in Calif realize their going bankrupt paying for all the social crap they do in their nirvanna they've tried to create for every little stupid special interest group. Now if only the stupids there go after the legislature too. Go Simon kick Davis's butt.
20 posted on 04/28/2002 2:27:19 PM PDT by Joe Boucher
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