Poll Finds Obama Support Slipping In California
SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) - Fewer than half of California voters say they would be inclined to re-elect President Barack Obama, but his support rises significantly when paired against two of the leading contenders for the Republican nomination.
"Once you put real live Republicans up against him, he does quite well," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll.
KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:
When the Democratic president was paired against former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Obama had double-digit leads.
The poll found Obama led Romney by 10 percentage points and Gingrich by 20.
The Field Poll released Thursday shows voters split almost evenly between those who are inclined and disinclined to re-elect Obama, although opponents feel more strongly. About 11 percent were undecided.
"Voters here are more divided than they've ever been about the re-election of Obama, just in the abstract," DiCamillo said.
When asked if a Republican or a Democratic president would be better for the economy, most respondents answered neither.
"That's a very cynical view. It means that they don't think the president has the influence or the ability to affect the economy," DiCamillo said.
Seven in 10 Californians polled believe the country is on the wrong track.
Field surveyed 1,000 registered voters by telephone from Nov. 15 to 27. The poll has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
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