In today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail, FR friend John Fund highlights exactly how vulnerable Barbara Boxer is in her re-election bid this year…
Earthquake in Earthquake Country?
Is the rancorous health-care fight turning California red? If so, the most prominent victim of ObamaCare may turn out to be Barbara Boxer.
Though the GOP nomination to challenge Ms. Boxer is still up for grabs, a new Field poll shows her essentially beatable by "all of the above." Former Rep. Tom Campbell leads her by one point; Carly Fiorina trails by just a point. Most surprisingly, Ms. Boxer commands a mere four-point lead over little-known state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.
Field Poll Director Mark DiCamillo attributes Ms. Boxer’s rapidly rising unfavorable rating, which has climbed to 51% from 39% in two months, to voter revulsion over the Democratic Congress’s health care tactics. The poll, he says, reflects Ms. Boxer’s weakness more than any strength by her GOP challengers: "Voters are starting to be looking for alternatives to the status quo." In January, Ms. Boxer held a double-digit lead over all her GOP opponents.
Feeling the same heat is Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown. He now trails Republican Meg Whitman by three points after leading by 10 points two months ago. In the Democratic stronghold of Los Angeles, which will be key to determining the election, the former eBay CEO is beating Mr. Brown by 14 points.
Given the powerful anti-incumbent wave building in California, Mr. Brown’s latest tack is to circle the wagons with his hardcore Democratic allies. On Tuesday, he publicly called on Big Labor to "attack [Ms. Whitman] whenever we can, but I’d rather have you attack" because "I’d rather be the nice guy in this race." For her part, Ms. Boxer is calling in President Obama to host a fundraiser next month. It’s unlikely to help. The president’s approval rating in California is just 52%, its lowest during the president’s 15 months in office and the lowest of any president at this stage save Jimmy Carter.
A Rasmussen poll last month found that 60% of California voters want to throw incumbents out, while only 17% think they should be reelected. Career politicians like Mr. Brown and Ms. Boxer appear to be swimming against a powerful and growing current as November approaches.
— Allysia Finley