Biden Leading Trump By 39% In California, Poll Finds
BERKELEY (CBS SF) – With less than three months until Election Day, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has a nearly 40 point lead over President Donald Trump in California, according to a new poll.
The poll of 8,328 registered voters by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies finds the former Vice President with 67 percent support. Meanwhile Trump's support in California has dropped to 28 percent. Five percent of those surveyed remain undecided.
Biden enjoys majority support by virtually all major demographic groups surveyed, including among all age groups, education levels and races.
"He leads by at least a two-to-one margin among white voters, Latinos, Black voters and Asian Americans," Professor Eric Schickler of the Institute of Governmental Studies said in a statement. "In many states, white voters are closely divided and there are big differences in the views of President Trump across racial groups. Not so in California."
Trump continues to have strong backing among Republicans in California, where he is backed by 88 percent of GOP respondents. Meanwhile, Biden has the backing of 95 percent of Democrats surveyed and 73 percent of those with no party preference.
The poll found voters' preferences were strongly tied to views on two issues that have dominated the news: the ongoing coronavirus crisis and the nation's reckoning over racial injustice and police brutality following the death of George Floyd.
Among those who believed the threat from the virus was becoming more serious in their area, which amounted to 67 percent of those surveyed, Biden received 84 percent support. Meanwhile, a majority of those who thought the threat was becoming less serious backed Trump's re-election.
Pollsters also asked respondents about their views of the Black Lives Matter movement and found 65 percent had a favorable opinion, while 30 percent did not. Biden received 93 percent support of those who viewed the movement favorably, while Trump received 83 percent support among those who had an unfavorable opinion of the movement.
With Biden set to announce a vice-presidential running mate later this month, Democratic voters were asked about Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles), who are widely considered to be on the shortlist. The poll found 68 percent had a favorable view of Harris, while 20 percent opposed. Meanwhile, Bass was viewed favorably by 46 percent of Democrats, but 44 percent had no opinion.
The poll was administered online in English and Spanish between July 21st and the 27th. It has a margin of error of plus / minus 2 percent.
