CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Poll Surveys Race for Insurance Chief

A new California Field Poll on the insurance commissioner race showed that among 718 registered voters surveyed in the contest for the Democratic nomination, television commentator Bill Press won 16%, state Sen. John Garamendi 15%, former Common Cause director Walter Zelman 4%, Board of Equalization Chairman Conway Collis 3%, Alhambra City Councilman Michael Blanco 3% and San Francisco attorney Ray Bourhis 2%. The rest were uncommitted. In the contest for the Republican nomination, among 628 registered voters questioned, Huntington Beach City Councilman Wes Bannister had 17% support and tort reform advocate Tom Skornia had 13%, with the rest undecided.