51%-to-30% Lead in U.S. Senate Race : Gallup Poll Finds Wilson Far Ahead

Republican U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson holds a comfortable 21-point lead over his expected Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy, with six months of campaigning left before the November election, according to a poll of California voters by the Gallup Organization.

Wilson, a freshman seeking a second term, was favored over McCarthy among those surveyed by 51% to 30%, with 19% undecided.

Gallup found Wilson to be leading in all regions of the state and within all age and education groups. Among races, he trailed only among blacks.

Republicans favored the incumbent by 11 to 1, while Democrats sided with the challenger by 2 to 1. Independents favored Wilson by 5 to 3.

Wilson is unopposed for renomination on the June 7 primary ballot and no Democrat has mounted a major campaign against McCarthy.

On another political matter, California voters were about evenly divided on whether Gov. George Deukmejian should be selected by Vice President George Bush as his running mate. Among those surveyed, 40% said they would like to see Bush place Deukmejian on the Republican presidential ticket, and 39% said they would not.

Deukmejian has said he would not accept a vice presidential offer anyway because, if elected, he would have to turn over the governor’s office to a Democrat.

Gallup found voters to be rating the governor 56% favorably to 29% unfavorably--about on a par with Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley (57% to 21%), whom Deukmejian twice has defeated in gubernatorial elections.

The survey of 1,205 registered voters was taken last Thursday through Saturday. The margin of error is 3% in either direction.