A new Public Policy Polling poll shows that Republican senate candidate Carly Fiorina is catching up to Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer. The latest poll shows that Fiorina is four points behind Boxer, up from nine points about a week and a half ago. Boxer is backed by 50 percent of likely voters, while Fiorina is supported by 46 percent. Three percent of voters say they have not yet decided.
50 percent of voters disapprove of Boxer, while 44 percent have an unfavorable view of Fiorina. Forty percent approve of Boxer, and 42 percent view Fiorina favorably.
The state is split about President Obama, with 47 percent disapproving and 45 percent approving. Boxer has heavily touted her endorsement from the president, and held campaign events with both him and first lady Michelle Obama last month. Boxer also launched a new ad on Saturday that features Obama endorsing her.
Both candidates are about equal in their support from their parties: 88 percent of Republicans back Fiorina, while 84 percent of Democrats support Boxer. Among independents and third-party voters, half back Boxer, while 46 percent support Fiorina. Since Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans (17 million to 7.5 million), it’s crucial for Fiorina to gain support from independent voters.
The poll surveyed 882 likely voters and was conducted October 29 – 31. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.