Clinton, Sanders virtually tied in CA, both lead Trump

by Matt Fleming | May 25, 2016 9:01 pm

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are virtually tied in their quest for the Democratic presidential nomination among likely voters in California, with both leading the prospective Republican nominee, Donald Trump, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll[1] released Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, according to the poll, the Republican brand is falling in California, even among Republicans, although neither party’s voters are widely satisfied with their choices for president.

And while it’s unclear how Californians will vote in November, they are currently rejecting by a wide margin Trump’s immigration positions to build a wall along the U.S./Mexico border and to deport all or many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.

CA will probably still chose a Democrat for president

Clinton, the former U.S. secretary of state, leads Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, 46 percent to 44 percent of California Democrats and independents, just two weeks away from the June 7 primary.

Trump, the business tycoon, leads the Republican field with 67 percent of likely Republican voters saying they’d support him. Of course, he’s also the only major candidate left standing, but 26 percent of likely Republican voters say they’d vote for someone else.

Unsurprisingly, since California hasn’t chosen a Republican for president since George H. W. Bush in 1988, both Democratic candidates lead Trump in a head-to-head matchup.

Of the two Democrats, Sanders fares better among likely voters against Trump, leading 53 percent to 36 percent with 11 percent either undecided or ready to vote for someone else. Clinton also leads among likely voters against Trump, 49 percent to 39 percent.

Are there no more options?

A majority of California voters dislike their options for presidential candidates, with only 42 percent responding that they’re satisfied. In May 2012, the same poll showed 57 percent responded that they were satisfied with their choices, which included the sitting Democratic president, Barack Obama, and the presumptive Republican nominee, Mitt Romney.

Much of the disappointment is among Republicans and independents, with only 36 percent and 35 percent, respectively, liking their choices. Fifty-three percent of Democrats are satisfied.

Republican favorability plummeting

Neither party is particularly popular in California at the moment, but Republicans are faring much worse than Democrats.

Less than half of likely voters (42 percent) said they have a favorable impression of Democrats, while only 23 percent have a favorable view of Republicans.

Even worse for the Republican Party is that among registered Republicans, favorability plummeted to 38 percent after having been at 74 percent in December.

Democratic favorability among Democrats is largely unchanged from December, having dropped only two points to 74 percent.

Californians dislike the wall

One of the most identifiable positions Trump has taken is a promise to build a wall across the entire U.S./Mexico border, which is an idea that only 33 percent of likely voters in California think is a good one.

Trump had also previously suggested[2] that he’d deport all 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country, although he has since softened his stance to say[3] it’s negotiable. But 75 percent of likely voters in California say there should be some type of path to citizenship for those living in the country illegally.

This certainly contributes to why 69 percent of Latinos in California have an unfavorable view of Republicans, compared to 61 percent having a favorable view of Democrats.

Source URL: https://calwatchdog.com/2016/05/25/clinton-sanders-virtually-tied-ca-lead-trump/

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