BOXER VS. FONG: Poll Highlights Age, Gender and Turnout
"Eking her way into office in 1992 on the strength of women voters," pro-choice Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) "has not substantially broadened her base of support," a recent Los Angeles Times poll indicates. The poll shows Boxer ahead of state Treasurer Matt Fong (R) by 8% among registered voters, but among those considered likely to vote, Fong leads by 5%. This discrepancy is derived in part from Boxer's support among "younger women voters -- a group not always dependable on election day." The "poll surveyed 1,651 Californians Sept. 12-17," and of those, "1,270 were registered voters and 684 were deemed likely to vote." The Times reports that Boxer's "strength remains women, whose support forms a strong gender gap in [her] favor." When poll respondents were asked which candidate's stance on abortion most closely resembled their own, among registered voters, 51% said Boxer's did while only 39% identified with Fong's position. Boxer holds a "50% to 32% advantage among" registered voters of both sexes "age 44 and under." But this lead narrows considerably among voters above age 44, with 46% supporting Boxer and 44% supporting Fong (Decker, 9/21).
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