Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is leading a rising-star Democratic challenger — despite criticism the 84-year-old incumbent is too old and insufficiently progressive for the deep blue state — a new poll shows.
The Public Policy Institute of California survey shows Feinstein leading state Senate Majority Leader Kevin de León by a 46 percent to 17 percent margin among likely voters, with significant leads among virtually every subgroup.
The poll has some other repercussions for the GOP, New York Magazine reported.
With less than a month left before the candidate filing deadline for the June 5 nonpartisan primary — and no Republican Senate candidates with sufficiently viable campaigns to even include in the PPIC poll — it appears for the second election year in a row, Republicans will not have a California candidate for the U.S. Senate in the November general election, the magazine reported.
Under California's two-two system, the top two finishers, regardless of party or percentage, advance to the general election.
The new PPIC poll shows Democrats Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor and retiring Governor Jerry Brown's heir apparent, and Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles, dominate a large field with 23 percent and 21 percent, respectively.
The top-performing Republican, state legislator Travis Allen, is at 8 percent — and he is facing recently disclosed allegations of sexual harassment in 2013, the magazine reported.
According to New York Magazine, if — as appears likely — there are no Republicans at the top of the ballot for the Senate and gubernatorial races in November, it could also have a dampening effect on GOP turnout.
And that in turn could be a problem for the party as it tries to hold on to vulnerable U.S. House seats, the magazine reported.
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