The fight for second place in California’s governor’s race between Republican John Cox and Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa remains unpredictable and volatile as the June 5 primary approaches, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.
Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom led both by 10 percentage points or more, validating every other poll that suggests it’s a certainty the Democrat will claim one of the two spots on the November ballot.
With the second slot up for grabs and a substantial bloc of undecided voters two weeks from the election, Newsom’s campaign has unleased a barrage of ads in an attempt to manipulate the primary vote. The strategy aims to influence who he’ll face in the general election, with Cox — a conservative out of step with California’s left-leaning voters on many issues including immigration policy — among his top choices.
Newsom’s tactics are among the many undercurrents that could determine the outcome of the primary by swaying the 39% of California’s likely voters who were undecided in this statewide poll, conducted over one month.
Read the full story on LATimes.com.