Katie Porter, Adam Schiff in tight race to replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein, says new poll
One week after Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced that she would not seek re-election in 2024, two members of Congress from Southern California have the most support to replace her, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times published on Thursday.
About four out of 10 registered Democrats and nonpartisan voters had not chosen a candidate. Of the six out of 10 who had, Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, and Katie Porter, D-Irvine, are nearly tied for the lead. Schiff drew support from 22% of those surveyed while Porter received 20%.
Porter, a former student of Sen. Elizabeth Warren known for her viral whiteboard takedowns, announced her candidacy in January before Feinstein had announced her retirement. Schiff, a state-Senator-turned-Congressman who gained notice as lead prosecutor in former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment hearing, followed a few weeks later.
Rep. Barbara Lee, a Bay Area progressive Democrat, formally announced her bid to replace Feinstein on Tuesday. Per the L.A. Times poll, she has 6% of votes, while Rep. Ro Khanna, Lee’s fellow Bay Area progressive who has not formally entered the race, has 4%.
The poll showed that each candidate is favored among different age groups; survey respondents age 65 and over showed the most support for Schiff, while younger respondents — especially those between the ages of 30 and 39 — favored Porter.
Ideology and geography also factored into candidate preferences.
To voters who identify as “strongly liberal,” Porter led Schiff 31% to 20%. Among moderates, Schiff was favored by 22% while Porter drew 10%.
And despite Lee’s 25-year tenure representing the East Bay in Congress, it’s Schiff who got the most support from Bay Area voters — likely with the help of an endorsement from San Francisco Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Outside of the Bay Area, Schiff has the lead in Sacramento and the North Coast, while Porter has more support in Orange County and the Inland Empire.
There was no clear leader in Los Angeles and San Diego.
The poll was conducted between Feb. 14-20 among 7,512 California registered voters. The margin of error was +/- 2.5%
This story was originally published February 23, 2023 at 1:54 PM.
