Poll shows race for state schools chief could go either way

The tightest race on today’s ballot is the usually sleepy contest for state superintendent of public schools, a post without much power, in which the incumbent typically glides to a second term.

This year, though, incumbent Tom Torlakson is in the fight of his life against challenger Marshall Tuck, a former charter schools executive. Both are Democrats; the office is nonpartisan.

A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll found the race to be almost a dead heat, with Torlakson holding a slight edge over Tuck, 32% to 29% among likely voters. But 28% were undecided when the survey wrapped up last week, suggesting that either candidate could win.

Meanwhile, more than $30 million has been spent in the contest, with dueling ads blanketing TV and radio.

“I can’t think of a campaign for any down-ticket office in recent California history that’s received so much attention,” said Dan Schnur, head of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, noting that education has surpassed jobs and the economy as voters’ main concern.

For more political coverage, follow @latimespolitics.