51% of Californians Polled Would Not Vote for Bush

President Bush’s popularity has dropped among California voters to the point where a majority would not back him in his reelection bid if the vote were held today, according to a California Poll released Friday.

The poll showed that 51% of those surveyed were not inclined to vote for Bush’s reelection, compared to 38% who were. In September, 51% of those polled said they would vote for Bush, while 35% said they would not.

Also, 36% of those polled said Bush is doing a poor or very poor job, while 34% said he was doing a good or excellent job. In a similar poll taken in September, 56% said Bush was doing a good or excellent job while only 15% game him poor marks.

Bush’s job rating among California voters is now lower than Jimmy Carter’s at the same point of the former President’s campaign for reelection in 1980. Carter was given a positive rating by 35% in that poll.

“It’s all related to the economy,” said poll director Mervin Field. “Unless the economy gets demonstrably better, (Bush) should start looking at scenarios of how he can win without California.”

The telephone poll, conducted Jan. 13-18 by the Field Institute, surveyed 1,028 Californians who are registered to vote or are considered likely to register. The poll has a margin of error ranging from 3.5% to 5%.