Field Poll: Obama maintains signficant lead over Romney in California

A new survey of California voters conducted jointly by The Institute of Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley and The Field Poll finds the Democratic ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden running 24 points ahead of the GOP ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan 58% to 34%, in this year’s presidential election.

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Voters view Obama very positively, with 61% holding a favorable view and 36% unfavorable. By contrast, the perception of Romney is more negative than positive – 53% unfavorable and 39% favorable.

There are also decided differences in the images voters have of each party’s vice presidential candidates. Voters view Biden favorably 57% to 34%, while impressions of Ryan are 42% unfavorable and 35% favorable.

Californians’ assessments of the job Obama is doing as president are now higher than at any time in the past three years. Currently 58% approve and 35% disapprove of the job the President is doing.  In addition, there has been a decided improvement in the perception that voters have of the direction of the country.  More voters now see the country moving in the right direction (52%) than being on the wrong track (41%).

The survey was conducted September 5-17, 2012 among 1,171 registered voters in California, of whom 891 are considered likely to vote in the November general election.

Despite the wealth of publicity he gained in defeating a field of GOP primary rivals, his selection of a running mate and being enthusiastically endorsed by the delegates attending the GOP national  convention, Romney has not gained any ground in California.

Obama is now the choice of 58% if this state’s likely voters, up marginally from 55% in early July.

Support for Romney stands at 34%, down marginally from 37% in an early July Field Poll.

Many of California’s recent historical patterns favoring Democratic candidates over GOP candidates across major segments of the voting electorate are apparent in this survey. The Obama/Biden ticket has wide margins of support from registered Democrats and independents, voters living in the state’s coastal counties, especially Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area, those under age 40, voters who have completed post-graduate work, and among AfricanAmericans, Latinos and Chinese-Americans.

The only major sub-group where the Romney/Ryan ticket leads is among Republican voters.