Gray Davis has grown over the last month, a statewide survey
shows.
The nonpartisan Field Poll found that 58 percent of likely
California voters want Davis recalled, up from 51 percent last
month. Fully 68 percent believe Davis will be recalled in the
special election, scheduled for Oct. 7.
The number of Californians supporting the effort to recall Gov. Gray Davis has grown over the last month, a statewide survey shows.
The nonpartisan Field Poll found that 58 percent of likely California voters want Davis recalled, up from 51 percent last month. Fully 68 percent believe Davis will be recalled in the special election, scheduled for Oct. 7.
The survey held almost nothing but bad news for the embattled Davis. His approval rating has plummeted to an all-time low, with just 22 percent of voters saying they like the job he is doing as governor.
While a majority of Democrats, self-described liberals and voters from the San Francisco Bay area still say they oppose the recall, support for the measure now extends across almost all age groups, education levels, ethnic groups and regions of the state.
“Movement is always the most significant element of a poll like this, and we are seeing continued movement toward the recall,” said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll. “And attitudes toward the recall are very firm, since people have come to their judgments of Davis over a long period of time.”
A large majority of voters who support the recall – 65 percent – said they believe that electing a new governor would move California in a new direction. But only 40 percent said recalling Davis would help solve the state’s budget problems.
Peter Ragone, director of communications for Californians Against the Costly Recall, discounted the survey as just one of many to come.
“We’re going to continue to talk to people about the fact that the recall is not a way to solve the state’s problems.”
~ Free Lance wire services
California has a lot of problems and people are feeling real anxious. The governor recognizes that, and is doing everything to make their lives better.”
The poll, based on telephone interviews with 448 likely voters, was conducted August 10-13 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.
