Feinstein Leads Senate Race by Wide Margin, Poll Finds

SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein continues to lead her Republican opponent, Rep. Tom Campbell, by a wide margin in her bid for reelection, according to a Field Poll released Thursday.

The Democratic senator led Campbell by 20 points, 54% to 34%, among 1,018 likely voters questioned Sept. 29 to Oct. 8. Twelve percent were undecided or backed other candidates.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

The results are nearly the same as those of an August poll in which Feinstein led 51% to 34%.

In nine polls done by the Field Institute since March 1999, Feinstein has been the choice of 50% to 58% of likely voters questioned, and Campbell’s backing has generally been in the mid-30% range.

Feinstein leads in all sections of the state except Orange and San Diego counties. Her leads over Campbell in Los Angeles County and the San Francisco area are nearly 3-1, according to the new poll.

She holds a nine-point lead among whites, a 15-point lead among Asians, a 55-point lead among Latinos and an 85-point lead among blacks, Field said.

She leads Campbell by only four points among men but by 36 points among women.

Campbell, a Republican who is moderate to liberal on some issues, leads among voters who say they are strongly or moderately conservative, but Feinstein has big leads among moderates and liberals.

Only a third of those questioned said they were following the California race closely. About 57%, said they were paying close attention to the Senate race in New York, where first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton is on the ballot.