Posted on 04/28/2002 7:22:06 AM PDT by dalereed
CALIFORNIA
Davis has 14-point lead, poll finds
By John Marelius
STAFF WRITER
April 28, 2002
Gov. Gray Davis, although still not held in high regard by California voters, has opened a 14-point re-election lead over his Republican challenger, Bill Simon.
In the first nonpartisan measurement of the campaign for California governor since the March 5 primary election, the Field Poll shows there is little enthusiasm for either major-party nominee.
It also shows the initial view of Simon as the Republican nominee is predominantly negative despite his stunning come-from-behind landslide victory over former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan last month.
"He's not had a very good period following the primary," said Mark DiCamillo, associate director of the Field Poll. "Usually, after you've won a primary there's sort of a halo effect. Simon appears not to have had a victory bounce. He's lost ground."
The statewide survey of voters considered likely to cast ballots in the Nov. 5 election shows Davis leading Simon 43 percent to 29 percent with 28 percent undecided or favoring other candidates.
In a late-February Field Poll, a hypothetical general election matchup showed Simon, a wealthy Los Angeles businessman who has never before run for office, leading Davis 44 percent to 42 percent.
The news is by no means all good for Davis, a Democrat. Fifty percent of the likely voters have an unfavorable view of the governor; 39 percent regard him favorably.
Pollsters often gauge an officeholder's vulnerability by asking voters whether they are inclined or not inclined to vote for the incumbent.
On that score, Davis' numbers have improved. In February, 54 percent said they were not inclined to vote for him, while 39 percent said they were.
Now it is virtually even: 46 percent inclined to vote for Davis to 47 percent not.
Perceptions of Simon have grown more negative since the primary.
DiCamillo said Democrats who may have paid little attention to the Republican primary campaign have begun taking the measure of Simon and finding him wanting.
"The Democrats who have come to judgment in the last seven weeks have almost universally gone to an unfavorable view of Simon," DiCamillo said.
The Field Poll looked better for Davis than several polls by private organizations floating around Sacramento, and the governor's campaign reacted cautiously.
"It's always good to be ahead, but there are going to be a lot of ups and downs in this campaign," said Davis campaign spokesman Roger Salazar. "But we've always said that when they look at the issues, people are going to realize that Bill Simon is not an acceptable choice."
Simon campaign manager Sal Russo said his candidate grew on Republicans as the primary campaign wore on, and he predicted the public at large would similarly warm up to him.
"These elections are referendums on the governor," Russo said. "And the fact that (Davis) is at 43 percent has got to be as low as any governor in history. Just as in the primary, as voters get to know Bill Simon, they will rally to his side."
The Field Poll is based on telephone interviews conducted April 19 through Thursday with 546 likely voters. The poll is considered statistically accurate 95 percent of the time within a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
Copyright 2002 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Three days later, a poll is taken to see if the articles had the desired effect.
They should also eliminate the "earned income tax credit", it's just another name for welfare.
Can you explain to me how you can define the "middle class" as containing everyone but those who don't pay taxes (under 30m per annum) and .1% of the taxpaying population (excess of 200m per annum)?
I am DYING to hear this!
This one must be in that other 5%.
Scratch an elected Democrat hard enough and you'll find that $30,000 to $100,000 defines the rich.
Yes.
Can you explain to me how you can define the "middle class" as containing everyone but those who don't pay taxes (under 30m per annum) and .1% of the taxpaying population (excess of 200m per annum)?
Your .1% of the taxpaying population (excess of 200m per annum) should be 2%.
Also those under 30m per annum DO pay taxes (income, Social Security, Medicare, excise), though many get a rebate via the EIT (a form of welfare).
No matter what elected Democrates tell you: you are not rich.
To a democrat, anyone with a dollar more in their pocket than him is "rich". They're motivated by envy and hatred of the worst kind.
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