Conservative radio host Larry Elder leads the field of candidates who are hoping to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to a poll released Tuesday.
Elder, an occasional WorldTribune columnist, was the first choice of 18 percent of likely voters, the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/Los Angeles Times poll found. Businessman John Cox and former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer each took 10 percent, while 40 percent said they remain undecided.
Elder only qualified for the recall ballot last week after a court fight with Secretary of State Shirley Weber.
Reality television star Caitlyn Jenner drew just 3 percent support, putting her behind Assemblyman Kevin Kiley at 5 percent and real estate broker and YouTuber Kevin Paffrath with 3 percent.
The poll found that 47 percent of likely voters support the Sept. 14 recall and 50 percent oppose it, just outside the poll’s margin of error.
An Inside California Politics/Emerson College poll of registered voters released on July 21 also found Elder leading the field with 16 percent, followed by Cox and Faulconer with 6 percent.
"While Democrats have counted on their enormous registration advantage to save Newsom, the poll found that Republican voters are far more energized, with 90 percent expressing a high level of interest in the recall versus Democrats at 58 percent and Independents at 53 percent," Washington Times reporter Valerie Richardson noted.
“Democrats, at least in the middle of July, almost unanimously believed that Newsom will defeat the recall. I think that may be contributing to some complacency among those voters. Republicans, on the other hand, are confident that they can turn out the governor,” poll director Mark DiCamillo said. “I think the Newsom campaign really has to light a fire among the Democrats and say, ‘Look, the outcome is in jeopardy unless you get out there and vote.’ ”
State officials will start mailing ballots to all active registered voters on Aug. 16 in keeping with a law signed last year by Newsom, although those who prefer to vote in person still have that option.
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