With the California primary just days away, 21 percent of Democrats and independents have already voted, and among them Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders by 17 percentage points, 58 to 41 percent, according to polling from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal. Clinton and Sanders are tied, 46 to 46 percent, among the 24 percent who plan to vote absentee. Among the remaining 55 percent who plan to vote in person next Tuesday, 50 percent say they plan to vote for Sanders and 47 percent will vote for Clinton.
The poll also finds that Clinton leads in Los Angeles, the state’s most populous and diverse area, 54 to 40 percent, which is perhaps not surprising — but she also leads 54 percent to 44 percent in the ultra-liberal Bay Area, which would seem to be Sanders country. Sanders is ahead in the inland/valley Red counties, 54 to 44 percent, and the coastal region, 58 to 36 percent.
In the general election, NBC/WSJ found Clinton beating Donald Trump by 24 points, 55 to 31 percent.
Meanwhile a new Field poll [PDF] of California voters finds that Hillary Clinton with a 2 point lead over Bernie Sanders, 45 to 43 percent. The poll also finds Clinton leading Donald Trump, 53 to 34 percent.
A separate Field Poll also shows where Californians in the five major regions — Los Angeles, the Bay Area, South Coast, Central Valley and Inland Empire — stand on key issues as they prepare to vote in the primary election on June 7. Here are a few top lines:
Statewide among all voters, 74 percent named jobs/the economy as the most important issue facing the state today — 73 percent among Democrats and 77 percent among Republicans. Conversely, the least important issue was a social issue that has been resolved in California: same-sex marriage/LGBT policies. Just 29 percent of all voters said this was the most important issue — the partisan split was 38 percent among Democrats to 13 percent among Republicans.
Other top ranked issues:
ISSUE | ALL | DEM | GOP |
Jobs/the economy | 74% | 73% | 77% |
Education/public schools | 67 | 73 | 56 |
Health care | 66 | 70 | 58 |
Terrorist threat/protecting the homeland | 64 | 55 | 81 |
Social Security | 63 | 64 | 62 |
Ensuring clean air/water | 62 | 73 | 41 |
Supreme Court appointments | 57 | 55 | 61 |
Keeping U.S. out of war | 54 | 65 | 34 |
Equal pay for women | 53 | 66 | 30 |
Immigration | 49 | 45 | 58 |
Reducing the deficit/size of government | 49 | 34 | 75 |
Gun laws | 47 | 48 | 43 |
College affordability | 46 | 58 | 26 |
Income inequality | 44 | 60 | 17 |
Energy policies | 44 | 52 | 30 |
Race relations | 43 | 53 | 24 |
Climate change | 42 | 58 | 15 |
Trade policies | 39 | 35 | 47 |
Abortion | 39 | 43 | 32 |
Reducing Taxes | 36 | 27 | 53 |
Same-sex marriage/LGBT policies | 29 | 38 | 13 |