Opponents of Proposition 17 are leveling yet another charge of discrimination against Mercury Insurance, the auto insurer bankrolling a June ballot measure to allow companies to use coverage history in determining insurance rates.
The latest victims? Cougars.
They don't mean Mercury Cougars. They don't even mean big cats.
They're talking about women of a certain age married to younger men.
Cougar dating expert Lucia -- apparently no last name needed -- is headlining a Los Angeles news conference this morning at Mercury Insurance on Wilshire Boulevard, sponsored by the No on 17 campaign. More "cougars" and their "cubs" are expected to be in attendance.
We're guessing the rate difference has something to do with the fact that most of those "cubs" are under 25, so they would be subject to higher rates under most circumstances.
But we're curious about what they're calling the "Mercury Cougar Clause."
PPIC: Steve Poizner has gained ground on Meg Whitman, according to the latest Public Policy Institute of California poll.
Whitman, who earlier posted a 50-point lead, is now up by nine points, with 38 percent of likely GOP gubernatorial primary voters backing Whitman and 29 percent supporting Poizner.
Other interesting nuggets from the survey after the jump:
- Proposition 14 had support from 60 percent of voters, with more than two-thirds of independents and self-described "moderates" backing the "top two" primary proposal.
- Tom Campbell and Carly Fiorina are in a dead heat in the GOP Senate primary. Fiorina has a slight lead at 25 percent, with Campbell at 23 percent.
- Californians are divided on legalizing marijuana, with 48 percent supporting and 49 percent opposing the proposal to legalize and tax the substance.
- More than eight in 10 voters call the state budget a "big problem." But there's much less consensus on whether to use spending cuts, tax increases or a combination of the two to close the $19.1 billion gap.
- Passing the $11.1 billion water bond slated for the November ballot is "very" or "somewhat" important, 70 percent of respondents said.
You can read more on the poll in today's Bee and at Capitol Alert.
SD 15: A three-person panel of federal judges meets in San Jose today to hear testimony in a lawsuit seeking to delay the June 22 special election in the 15th Senate District. Click here for more background on the lawsuit.
VOTER GUIDE: It's almost election day. Do you have all the information you need about the candidates and measures on the June ballot? Check out the Bee's Voter Guide.
BIRTHDAY: Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, turns 48 today. Wonder what the GOP Senate hopeful might wish for when he blows out the candles...
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