Posted on 08/17/2004 6:13:31 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
LOS ANGELES - Democrat John Kerry has opened up a 16 percentage-point lead over President Bush in California, his candidacy boosted by strong support from independents, Hispanics and women, a poll found Monday.
Kerry's commanding 54-to-38 percent margin in the poll by the Public Policy Institute of California represented a 5-point jump from July, when he held an 11 percentage-point lead over the president.
Pollster Mark Baldassare said the Democratic ticket is benefiting from Ralph Nader's failure to collect enough signatures to make the ballot in California this year as an independent candidate. In 2000, Nader won about 4 percent of the presidential vote in the state.
The poll found that the Massachusetts senator had the support of 64 percent of independent voters, up from 50 percent in July.
"There is virtually no support for candidates outside the major parties this time around, and it's helping the Democrats," Baldassare said.
The findings were based on a telephone survey - conducted from Aug. 4 to Aug. 11 - of 1,117 likely state voters. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The poll found the Democratic ticket of Kerry and John Edwards held substantial leads over their GOP rivals in key demographic groups including women, 58 percent to 34 percent, and Hispanics, 68 percent to 26 percent.
In another troubling sign for the president's fortunes in the state, the survey said a broader sample of 2,002 residents found that Bush's approval rating in California was 40 percent. Sixty-three percent said they disapproved of how Bush was handling Iraq, and voters were roughly split over the president's handling of terrorism and homeland security.
Likely voters named the economy and jobs as the top issue in the state, followed by Iraq, terrorism and education. Kerry was favored over Bush by a wide margin, 60 percent to 33 percent, among those who identified the economy and jobs as the top issue. Bush was favored by a similar margin among those who identified terrorism as the top concern.
While Bush is struggling in the state, his fellow Republican, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, remains widely popular.
The poll found 65 percent of adults approve of the way the governor is doing his job, including 57 percent of Democrats.
The survey said Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer is holding a 53 percent to 36 percent edge over Republican Bill Jones, with 10 percent undecided. And three in ten voters said they weren't satisfied with the choices for Senate on the ballot this year, the poll found.
The poll said two of three voters support a ballot initiative, Proposition 63, that would increase the personal income tax on wealthy residents to fund mental health services. Proposition 1A, which is intended to protect local government treasuries from raids from Sacramento, is favored 60 percent to 25 percent, the poll said.
This is in California? Oh my, what a shock.
Almost every Liberal I know now call themselves an Independent.
****** Y-A-W-N
Was hoping it be closer to force Kerry to spend some time there. Now he'll be in the Golden State as often as the President will be in Massachusetts.
Poll: McReevey margin widening since gayness opened
Shocking I tell ya, just shocking.
I gotta move, I'm surrounded.
Yes aren't the polls just so accurate?
File this under Big Deal, So What...
I agree. I remember when most of the independents I knew were conservatives,and radical ones at that. Alot of them voted for Perot, why I don't know it only brought us 8 years of Clinton and introduced us to Hilliary. It seems now that the people who claim to be independents are indeed Liberals, and radical ones at that. Alot of them voted for Nader, and that brought them 4 years of Bush. Times change.
We hear about CA, NY, PA, and Mass. but yet never a mention of polls in TX.
I really do!
Then, after our President wins re-election, we'll have four more years to gloat and poke fun at the idiots there.
Their current governor notwithstanding....
It's not surprising - since we here in California are watching the freakshow daily of Soddom and Gomorrhah, and those of us NON-Liberals are a minority.
They never mention the democratic stronghold of GA....where most of it's democrats are voting BUSH.
Secondly, this probaly is a momentum creating poll (PANIC)...as they SEE THEMSELVES in trouble in California with Arnold being Govenor.....
IF BUSH TAKES CALIFORNIAAAA.......FLORIDA WON'T MEAN A HOOT FOR KERRY AND HIS LAWYERS.
THE FAT LADY WILL HAVE ALREADY BEEN SINGING.
All the more reason Bush/Cheney and the RNC must get out the vote in conservative leaning states. Drive up the national vote for GWB otherwise if he wins the electoral vote he could narrowly lose the popular vote again because of CA, NY, and IL alone.
NO, this isn't true, Hispanics hate the slob.
This is a heavily Democratic state. Democrats outnumber Republicans here 3-2 and Independents tend to lean liberal. Bush's pro-life position is anathema in socially liberal California.
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