Poll: Kerry has big California lead, Bush's ratings have plunged [View All]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/25/state0934EST0040.DTL

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry holds a wide lead over John Edwards among likely voters in next Tuesday's Democratic presidential primary, and President Bush's approval ratings in the state are at their lowest level since he took office in 2001, a new poll found.

The nonpartisan Field Poll released Wednesday shows Kerry with 60 percent support among likely voters, compared with just 19 percent for Edwards, a senator from North Carolina. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio had 3 percent support, Rev. Al Sharpton had 2 percent, and 11 percent were undecided.

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Meanwhile, the poll showed Bush's approval ratings have taken a marked plunge in the last month. Just 43 percent of California voters say they approve of the job he is doing, while 51 percent disapprove. In January, the numbers were almost reversed, with 52 percent saying they approved of the president's job performance while 42 percent disapproved.

Voter disapproval was highest on Bush's handling of the budget deficit -- 67 percent said they disapproved of the job he is doing, while just 27 percent approve. A majority also disapproved of his handling of other key areas, including illegal immigration, health care, the economy and the war in Iraq.

Just 38 percent said they considered Bush a leader they could trust, while 61 percent said they had doubts and reservations about him.

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