CBS 5 Poll: Obama Wins California, Feinstein Re-Elected, Voters Split On Props
HALF OF THOSE VOTING FOR ROMNEY ARE ACTUALLY VOTING AGAINST OBAMA
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) -- If the election for President of the United States were held today, Barack Obama would defeat Mitt Romney and cement California's 55 electoral college votes into the Democratic column, according to a newly released KPIX-TV CBS 5 poll of likely voters.
With just four weeks until early voting begins in California, the poll conducted for CBS 5 by the firm SurveyUSA showed it's Obama 57%, Romney 35%.
Of those Californians voting for Romney, 48% said that their vote was really a vote "against Obama" more than it was a vote "for" Mitt Romney. By contrast, of those Californians voting for Obama, just 18% said that theirs was a vote "against Romney."
RELATED CONTENT: Download Complete CBS 5 Poll Results (.pdf)
According to the poll data, Obama was backed by 72% of pro-choice voters, 71% of Bay Area voters, 67% of Hispanics, and 67% of young voters.
In the 2008 presidential race, Obama carried California by 24 points. In this latest CBS 5 poll, Obama leads in the Golden State by 22 points.
In the race for United States Senator from California, the poll found incumbent Democrat Diane Feinstein holds her seat and is comfortably re-elected. She would defeat Elizabeth Emken 55% to 37%, the poll results showed. Feinstein enjoyed broad support in the poll: leading among rich and poor, black and white, the least educated and the most educated, and in every region of the state.
On Proposition 30, which would raise the sales tax to pay for education and public safety: 34% were certain to vote Yes, 36% were certain to vote No, and 29% were not certain how they would vote. As a result, the pollsters concluded the measure could go either way. Republicans generally opposed Proposition 30, while Democrats supported it.
On Proposition 33, about auto insurance: 15% were certain to vote Yes, 13% were certain to vote No, while 72% were uncertain. The pollsters concluded that voters were not yet focused on 33 and any outcome remained possible.
On Proposition 34, which would repeal the death penalty: 30% were certain to vote Yes, 46% were certain to vote No, and 23% were not certain how they would vote. The poll data showed whites, a majority of pro-life voters, and a majority of voters in Greater Los Angeles and the Central Valley opposed the repeal; only the Bay Area and liberals supported the repeal.
On Proposition 36, which would revise the 3-strikes law: 43% were certain to vote Yes, 23% were certain to vote No, while 34% were uncertain. The poll found Hispanics, blacks, Democrats, and liberals disproportionately support it, while Republicans, conservatives and Asians disproportionately were opposed.
On Proposition 37, about the labeling on genetically modified food: 51% were certain to vote Yes, 16% were certain to vote No, and 33% were uncertain. Poll data showed young voters disproportionately supported the measure, while conservatives disproportionately opposed it.
The CBS 5 poll by Survey USA interviewed 524 likely California voters from Sept. 9 through Sept. 11 and has a margin of error between 3.9% and 7.4% depending on the question asked of respondents.
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