Carly Fiorina has taken a commanding lead in California's GOP race for U.S. Senate, with one-time front-runner Tom Campbell now in a statistical tie for second, according to a Field Poll released Saturday.
The poll shows the former Hewlett Packard Co. chief executive leading 37 percent to Campbell's 22 percent among likely voters in Tuesday's Republican primary. State Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has support from 19 percent, while 22 percent of voters remain undecided.
The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, putting Campbell and DeVore neck and neck. That's a far cry from a Field Poll in March that saw Campbell leading with 28 percent, Fiorina with 22 percent and DeVore trailing with 9 percent.
About 42 percent of respondents in the latest poll said they think Fiorina has the best chance against Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer in November.
Among subgroups of voters, Fiorina captures nearly every category.
She is particularly popular among voters who label themselves as strongly conservative and those who identify with the tea party movement. More than 40 percent of those individuals said they would vote for her.
Campbell, a former congressman who favors abortion rights and gay marriage and has advocated for tax increases in the past, came in last among those subgroups. He still holds the lead among the 18-39 age group and voters in the San Francisco Bay area. He represented the Silicon Valley when he served in Congress.
The Field Poll was conducted May 27-June 2 among 511 likely voters in the GOP primary.
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