In a dizzying week of polls on all subjects near and dear to our state’s voters, today’s offering from the California Field Poll showing that only one in four California registered voters would even consider voting for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg if he were to run for President sends a clear message.
62% of the voters in the largest state in the nation, according to Field, say they “would definitely not support him.” [Emphasis added] This includes 68% of Democrats and 66% of Republicans and even a slight plurality of “non-partisan/others) would not countenance the thought.
The poll also shows a low favorable and a high unfavorable image rating for Bloomberg in California’s registered voters who have an opinion of him at all. A full 48% have no opinion, and he has a 14% favorable and 38% unfavorable rating overall. This includes not only Democrats and Republicans but the non-partisan/others, who in a small sample size are his most favorable at 16% with 38% unfavorable.
When asked if a Bloomberg independent candidacy would be a good thing or bad thing, California’s registered voters are perhaps a bit more charitable, but they are all over the lot. 29% thin it is a good thing, 33% a bad thing, and 38% don’t know. Democrats and Republicans agree it’s a bad thing or don’t know, and the non-partisan/others seem to like the idea 47% to 17% with 36% of this most favorable group towards his candidacy saying they don’t know.
Field’s findings are from a survey they have taken of 496 registered voters in California between January 14 and 20 which has a range of error of 4.5%.
Results released earlier in the week from Field show strong favorable ratings for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, the likely Democratic nominees, running at least 5 to 1 in the Democratic base of registered Democrats and independents who can vote in the California Democratic primary. California Republican voters in a separate release of Field’s poll are not as favorably inclined towards their potential choices,
In yet another poll released today from the Public Policy Institute of California, as we wrote about in another article, there is a palpable and quantifiable greater satisfaction of California’s Democrats with their choices of Presidential candidates than Republicans in the state. This is in accord with polls and turnout results from other states that have had primaries or caucuses.
All in all, this poll result and others are a good omen for the Democratic nominee in the General Election in California and across the country as well. California has 55 of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency.
