SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- California voters are not letting their approval of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger affect their preference for Democrats in this year's major political races.
Two-thirds of likely voters in the state are satisfied with Republican Schwarzenegger's job performance since he came to Sacramento in November 2003.
But President Bush and Bill Jones won't be able to count on riding the governor's coattails as they go up against Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer, according to a poll released Tuesday by the Public Policy Institute of California.
Kerry leads Bush 54 percent to 38 percent among likely voters polled, a 5-point increase from a month ago, while Boxer has added 2 points to her lead, currently enjoying 17 points over Jones, at 53 percent to 36 percent.
"The irony is that California has a Democratic Legislature most voters disapprove of and a Republican governor most support. Yet the Democratic ticket for November is far ahead," said PPIC's Mark Baldassare.
