Poll Shows Clinton Would Beat Dole In California

LOS ANGELES (AllPolitics, March 20) -- President Bill Clinton would beat Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan.) in a one-on-one contest in California, according to a new Los Angeles Times survey.

Dole maintains a large lead over conservative commentator Pat Buchanan heading into next Tuesday's winner-take-all primary with 165 delegates at stake. But since Dole clinched the GOP nomination Tuesday after an impressive sweep of four Midwestern states, attention has turned to the fall match-up with Clinton. California is a must-win state for the president.

If the election were held today, 58 percent would choose the president while 37 percent would choose Dole. As other surveys have found, if retired Gen. Colin Powell joined Dole's ticket the gap would narrow significantly.

California Gov. Pete Wilson would have the opposite effect on Dole's chances, actually widening Clinton's lead. More than half of Golden State conservatives and registered Republicans had an unfavorable view of Buchanan and about one in three had a "very unfavorable" view of him. A Buchanan third-party challenge? Wouldn't support it, said 82 percent of respondents. Only ten percent disapproved of Dole's insider status.

The Times polled 1,337 Californians from March 13 to 17. Of those, 1,071 were registered voters. The margin of error was +/- three percentage points.

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