Schiff leads in California Senate primary: Poll

Rep. Adam Schiff is leading fellow California Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee in the state’s competitive Senate primary, polling results released Tuesday shows. 

The Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill survey puts Schiff at the top of the pack with 28 percent, beating out Porter’s 16 percent and Lee’s 9 percent. 

Schiff’s closest competitor is Republican Steve Garvey, who scored 22 percent, taking second place in California’s nonpartisan primary — from which the two candidates with the most votes will move on to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. 

Another 17 precent of California voters remain undecided, the poll shows.

All four contenders are running in the Golden State’s crowded field for the seat opened up by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D). 

Sen. Laphonza Butler (D) has been appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to fill the vacancy, but decided against getting in the race for a full term in November. 

Schiff, who boasts the  endorsement of The Los Angeles Times and the backing of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has been leading in recent polls, pitting his competitors in what some see as a race for second place to move on to the general.

The latest Emerson polling shows support for both Schiff and Porter up 3 points each since January, while Garvey’s support is up 4 points. Independent voters are notably split between Garvey and Schiff.

California voters preferred Schiff over his three top competitors on crime, homelessness, immigration and the war in Israel and Gaza, while they slightly preferred Porter on abortion. 

Though the race has been viewed as a scramble between top House Democrats from the Golden State, Garvey’s performance could mean the Senate contest becomes a partisan showdown in the solidly blue state.

Conducted Feb. 16-19 among 1,000 registered voters, the poll had a credibility interval, which is similar to a poll’s margin of error, of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.