Ex-congressman leads comeback bid in internal poll

Former Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.) has a four-point lead over Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), according to an internal poll from Ose’s campaign obtained by The Hill.

{mosads}Ose leads Bera by 48 percent to 44 percent in the poll, from GOP firm The Tarrance Group.

President Obama’s approval rating is underwater with likely voters in the district, according to the poll, at 42 percent approval and 54 percent disapproving. Obama won the Sacramento-area district by a four-point margin in 2012.

Internal polls should always be taken with a grain of salt.

The poll’s partisan breakdown is 41 percent Republican, 40 percent Democratic, and 19 percent decline to state or minor-party.

Outside Republican groups have already been spending heavily on TV ads in the district, and strategists in both parties see a competitive race.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has $2 million reserved in Sacramento airtime, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has $1.7 million reserved.