Poll: Calif. Majority Against Bond Plan + (Kerry 54% - W 37% / CA Statewide Poll)

.news.yahoo.com/ ^ | 02/20/04 | By TOM CHORNEAU, Associated Press Writer

[KQQL]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A $15 billion bond measure touted by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) as the way for California to avoid a financial meltdown isn't supported by a majority of voters, a statewide poll shows.

Thirty-eight percent approve of the measure and 41 percent oppose it, according the Public Policy Institute of California poll. Twenty-one percent are undecided.

Schwarzenegger needs voters to pass the measure March 2 so that he can pay off short-term loans that come due in June and help close next year's budget gap. Without the bond money, the governor has said deep cuts will be necessary.

The governor, a Republican, and several Democratic leaders, including Controller Steve Westly and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, have been campaigning in support of the measure. Schwarzenegger also is spending about $1.5 million a week on TV ads airing statewide.

But voters are not impressed so far, said Mark Baldassare, poll director for the institute. When the ads began on Feb. 10, the poll found 37 percent in favor, 45 percent opposed and 18 percent undecided.

"People are wondering if this is the best time to be borrowing money," he said. "I think people are skittish about what we are proposing here."

Sixty-one percent of likely voters approve of the way the governor is doing his job. But of those who approve of Schwarzenegger, only 49 percent support the bond proposal.

Also, the poll found likely California voters favor the Democratic nominee over President Bush (news - web sites) — 54 percent to 37 percent. Nine percent are undecided.

Among the candidates vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, Kerry would capture 55 percent of his party's vote. Far behind are former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (news - web sites), who dropped out of the race Wednesday, with 11 percent and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) with 10 percent.

The poll was conducted Feb. 8-16 with 1,013 likely voters. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

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[KQQL]

@

[rhombus]

The melt-down will be interesting to watch.

[KQQL]

Lol...

[SunStar]

Without the bond money, the governor has said deep cuts will be necessary.

Woohoo!!!!

[ambrose]

Your headline is inaccurate.

It is 54% for an unnamed Democrat.

[nickcarraway]

California voters are smarter than people give them credit.

[ambrose]

The numbers for this poll are buried in a lengthy PDF (http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/S_204MBS.pdf ) ...

In California Bush has a job approval rating of... 49% approval, 48% disapproval, among all "Adults"...

Bush has a 55% approval among Latinos, and 50% approval among whites...

Among *Likely voters*, Bush's ratings are much lower... 43% approve and 56% disapprove.

Do these numbers indicate that Bush is getting support from illegal aliens, who are not likely to vote?

[RoseofTexas]

GAWD, how can people be soooo freakin stupid!! KETCHUP BOY 54 AND W 37?? I thought W would have a much better tight race there. I was hoping the RATS would spend TONS of money in Cali if the race looked close! I know the only poll that counts is the one on November! And it's tooooo early to put money on this poll, but.. DAMN! Perhaps Rove underestimated the situation there! The attacks on W are taking their toll! After all he has done, even after 9-11!! How can people forget 9-11!!!! UNFREAKIN unbelievable!! I thought the numbers would be closer than that! DRATS!! Double DRATS!!

[LdSentinal]

Unamed Democrat at 54% -- not John Kerry.

[ThinkDifferent]

41% does not constitute a "majority", and is a statistical tie with 38% given the 3% margin of error.

[KQQL]

Kerry Only Democrat Leading Bush in California According to New Hoover-Knowledge Networks Poll

STANFORD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 18, 2004--Without even setting foot in the Golden State, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry now leads President Bush, according to a Hoover Institution-Knowledge Networks survey of 567 registered California voters. The survey was administered via the web-enabled panel between February 4 and February 13 and has a sampling margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.

Respondents were asked how they would vote if the presidential election were between Bush and Kerry. Of those who had a preference, 48 percent preferred Bush and 52 percent Kerry. (When people who hadn't decided were included, Kerry won by 42-38.)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1080814/posts

[kellynla]

http://www.noblankchecks.com MUST READ FOR EVERYONE WHO IS REGISTERED TO VOTE !

[KQQL]

lol....true...but Kerry is the likely Nominee........

[hotsteppa]

Also, the poll found likely California voters favor the Democratic nominee over President Bush (news - web sites) — 54 percent to 37 percent. Nine percent are undecided.


It did not state John Kerry specifically, only the Democratic nominee.

[G.Mason]

"People are wondering if this is the best time to be borrowing money," he said. "I think people are skittish about what we are proposing here."

What the "people" are really saying is "we can get Kerry, or whatever Democrat gets the nomination, to promise California the US Treasury, if we elect them.

[JohnnyZ]

I'm not real impressed by this poll, but:

PPIC POLL -- SENATE RACE

Jones: 24 (17)
Marin: 12 (2)
Kaloogian: 5
Casey: 2

Boxer 53 (47)
Republican 36 (40)

http://www.ppic.org/content/pubs/S_204MBS.pdf

Boxer Approval Ratings
Approve: 52
DisApprove: 34

[ambrose]

Unnamed Democrat usually gets way more support than an actual live Rat.

[ambrose]

This PPIC Poll was a JOKE during the California recall, by the way...

they had it 28% Bustmanate, 26% for Schwarzenegger...

[JohnnyZ]

Among *Likely voters*, Bush's ratings are much lower

All the Republican numbers are lower and Democrat higher when they narrow to likely voters (in this poll). Might be a bad sample, might be unenthused Republicans saying they aren't likely to vote. I'm not sure what to think of it.