Democrats Prefer Bradley as Governor Candidate, Poll Shows
Mayor Tom Bradley is far and away the favorite of Democrats right now to challenge Republican Gov. George Deukmejian, according to Mervin D. Field’s California Poll.
The sampling of 371 Democrats, completed 10 days ago and published on Friday, showed the four-term Los Angeles mayor favored by a whopping 60%. San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein was preferred by 20%. The poll, taken on behalf of newspapers and broadcasters, asked Democrats whom they would prefer if the election were held now.
Neither Bradley nor Feinstein is a declared candidate for the 1986 governor’s race, although many believe a Bradley candidacy is probable. He narrowly lost to Deukmejian in 1982. Feinstein has repeatedly said that she will not run for governor if Bradley does.
The most active Democrats in the governor’s race, a pair of state senators, showed poorly in the Field sampling. Sen. John Garamendi of Walnut Grove was favored by 9%, and Sen. Gary K. Hart of Santa Barbara was the choice of 2%.
A spokesman for Field Research said the sampling had a margin of error of nearly 7% either way.
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