Xavier Becerra Voters Consider Trump’s Policies Among Their Top Election Concerns (Poll)

Xavier Becerra supporters are more obsessed with President Trump than solving California’s affordability crisis by a ratio of nearly 2 to 1, according to a new poll that shows the Democrat on his way to the governor’s office.

The Berkeley Institute for Government Studies released a survey Friday that found 62% of Becerra voters said fighting Trump administration policies was one of their top election concerns, compared to 33% who chose lowering the cost of living.

The results suggest that resistance to the current occupant of the White House remains a more powerful rallying point among Becerra’s supporters than the financial crisis facing Californians — as his Republican rival Steve Hilton struggles to gain traction four days before the election.

Becerra led Hilton 61% to 34% among likely voters, with 5% undecided. Its 27 percentage point advantage grew from a 25 point lead in September.

Respondents could select up to two major election issues, meaning that fighting Trump and tackling affordability were not mutually exclusive choices.

These results follow another recent poll that found just 30.1% of voters think the state is on the right track, while 44% have seriously considered leaving California in the past four years.

Among Becerra supporters in the Berkeley survey, those who ensure their party maintains or gains control of Congress ranked third at 29 percent. Protecting immigrant communities followed with 14%, while improving health care coverage for those who need it attracted 13%.

Only 3% chose to cut taxes and 4% chose to fight crime and ensure public safety.

Hilton’s supporters offered a very different set of priorities.

Reducing taxes tops the list with 49%, followed by cracking down on immigration with 41% and fighting crime and ensuring public safety with 36%. The lower cost of living attracted 34%, a share almost identical to Becerra’s voters.

Only 2% of Hilton supporters chose to fight the Trump administration’s policies.

Among the likely electorate, opposition to Trump’s policies comes in first at 40%, followed by affordability at 34%.

The survey also illustrates the formidable partisan calculus Hilton faces in a state where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2-to-1.

Each candidate obtained the support of 94% of voters registered with their respective party. But Becerra also leads 59% to 31% among registered voters with no party preference or with other parties.

Becerra received at least 50% support in every major region and demographic group pollsters reported. Its best regional performance was in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it led 72% to 23%.

Hilton comes closest in Orange County, trailing 50% to 49%.

Even some Republican voters did not seem convinced that he could create a surprise.

Nearly a third of Hilton’s supporters predicted Becerra would win. Among all likely voters, 71% expected a Becerra victory, compared to 16% who expected Hilton to become governor.

Becerra’s favorable rating jumped to 53%, up from 48% in September. Hilton’s rating was 34%, while 56% viewed him unfavorably.

The poll was conducted online in English and Spanish from October 19 to 25 among 2,787 registered voters. Pollsters estimated a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

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