Gallup Poll: Davis Recall is leading 69% to 26%

Gallup ^ | 8-11-03 | Gallup

[ambrose]

PRINCETON, NJ -- California voters seem poised to dump their current governor more than three years before his term expires and replace him with a popular Hollywood actor with virtually no political experience. If the election were held today, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll shows that the recall drive would draw the support of close to two-thirds of California's registered voters (only a majority is needed). Among a list of the more prominent people running to replace the incumbent Governor Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger draws the most support, with the current lieutenant governor a distant second place.

The recall election is scheduled for Oct. 7, and the poll, conducted over this past weekend, Aug. 7-10, finds 64% of registered voters supporting the recall, with 29% opposed.

As I mentioned earlier, there will be two questions on the ballot on October 7^th. First, voters will be asked whether Governor Gray Davis should be removed from office or not. If the recall election were being held today, would you vote to -- [ROTATED: remove Davis from office, (or would you vote to) keep Davis in office]?

	Remove from office	Keep in office	No opinion
Registered Voters
2003 Aug 7-10	64%	29	7
Probable Voters
2003 Aug 7-10	69%	26	5

Among "probable voters" -- registered voters who are "extremely" or "very" interested in the election, and who are either "absolutely certain" or "extremely likely" to vote -- support for the recall is even higher: 69% in favor, and 26% opposed.

[lainde]

Wonderful news...Can go to bed happy!

[LdSentinal]

My goodness . . .

[ambrose]

I find these poll numbers hard to believe. I want to believe them, but I still find them pretty hard to believe. I'd say that Gray Davis can be found to have cannibalized young children between now and election day and he'll still get that 35% of the hard core yellow dog rat vote.

[Timesink]

A total slap in the face of Davis and his Scum Crew of Mulholland and Company! I love it!

[Ichneumon]

"Hasta la vista, baby"

[rwfromkansas]

It amazes me Cruz has as much support as he does, which isn't much luckily.

Don't people realize that he is Davis' sidekick??

If they vote against Davis but support Cruz, they are actually endorsing Davis effectively even though they don't intend to do so!

[Tall_Texan]

I think you'll see a very high turnout for this one because:

a. it's historical - one of those "Daddy, did you really vote in that election?" questions 50 years from now.

b. it's receiving saturation media coverage.

c. there are more crazy stories here to interest even the most jaded voter.

d. every vote is going to count since nobody needs a majority to win - except Davis. If Davis fails, a candidate could possibly win with under 20% of the vote. Let's see them call Bush "illegitimate" after that! (of course, the Dems will still try.)

If you can get 20% of Californians to vote for your loony-tune candidate, you're handed the governor's mansion even if there was no way in the world that 50% would have ever voted for him/her/it.

[swilhelm73]

Looking at the polling numbers, McClintock and Simon need to come to an understanding that removes one of them from the running...

[fieldmarshaldj]

Bingo. We love you, Billy, but ya needs to get. Other offices await in the future.

[fieldmarshaldj]

CA recall poll *ping*

[goldstategop]

This is from the LIBERAL Gallup poll! The Gray Davis kool aid drinkers won't be able to spin their way out of this one. Nearly every one in California, except for the few special interests in his corner, can't wait to get rid of him. My prediction is the margin will be even larger than the one recorded by Gallup. It will put paid to Davis' hopes of a future presidential run.

[gsrinok]

You're right, Ambrose; those numbers will definitely firm up quite a bit by October 7th. It will take a huge swing, though, to keep Davis in office. If I were a betting man, I'd say that Davis is history.

The numbers that I really don't trust are Arnold's. As we get a lot closer to the actual election, if he hasn't campaigned in a way that shows he might actually know something about the job he so covets, a lot of people are going to think twice and look toward someone with more experience. That could mean a lot more prospective Republican voters leaning toward Simon or McClintock. If that happens, the dim votes just might put in Bustamente, who, in my opinion, is at least as incompetent than Davis.

[goldstategop]

Its Arnold's to lose. The point is the Democrats ace in the hole is Cruz Bustamante. They have DiFi but despite holding every statewide office they have no real "deep bench." What a difference a year makes! Life isn't in the habit of giving us too many second chances so we had better not screw this one up.

[GailA]

Arnie needs to keep repeating that this is the failed Davis=Bustamante administration...keep tying the Lt Gov to the failed administration that only knows how to spend and raise taxes.

IF the recall is successful and grayout is removed and a new gov selected, other than bustamante, does bustamante remain LT Gov or does he go when davis goes?

[rmgatto]

What if Davis faces reality and resigns, making Bustamante governor and eliminating the recall vote and election entirely? If these numbers hold, Davis will be getting big time pressure--any chance he would resign and let all the air out of this balloon?

[TheDon]

"Arnold Schwarzenegger draws the most support, with the current lieutenant governor a distant second place."

[goldstategop]

He remains Lt. Governor til the next scheduled election in 2006.

[concerned about politics]

replace him with a popular Hollywood actor with virtually no political experience.

Welllllll. They just had to toss that little slam in there, didn't they? That information is "so important" they just had to put that in there.
My guess is they "don't like" their own poll results.

[goldstategop]

There was "another popular Hollywood actor with virtually no political experience" the liberal elite in California ridiculed. He went on to become the greatest American President of the twentieth century. The bozos here never do learn "and there they go again!" ;-)