California Poll Claims Becerra Leads Hilton by 22 Points Amid Biased Survey Methods
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
A Public Policy Institute of California survey conducted Sept. 4-10 reports Democrat Xavier Becerra ahead of Republican Steve Hilton 60% to 38% among likely voters, but questions remain about the poll’s accuracy and methodology.
A statewide poll released by the left-leaning Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) alleges that Democrat Xavier Becerra leads Republican Steve Hilton by 22 points among likely voters, with 60% support for Becerra and 38% for Hilton if the Nov. 3 gubernatorial election were held today. The online survey, which polled 1,745 adults including 1,103 likely voters, was conducted by Ipsos from Sept. 4-10 in English and Spanish, raising concerns about sampling and potential bias in representation.
The PPIC results show a larger lead for Becerra than an earlier Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/Los Angeles Times poll in August, which gave Becerra a 55% to 37% advantage. Among party bases, 93% of Democrats predictably said they would vote for Becerra, while 92% of Republicans backed Hilton. Independent voters, who are often swayed by media narratives, favored Becerra 57% to 38%, reflecting the challenges conservatives face in California’s liberal-dominated political climate.
Becerra holds a majority across most demographic groups, though Republican-leaning voters in the Central Valley gave Hilton a 52% to 46% edge, showing that conservative values still resonate in parts of the state. The poll also found that 52% of respondents support the controversial one-time 5% billionaire tax (Proposition 40), a measure critics say will drive job creators out of California, and that 65% consider candidates’ positions on affordability very important—a sign that economic issues remain at the forefront for voters.
Republican strategist Matt Klink noted that the widening gap suggests a “blowout” unless there is a major shift, but also highlighted the volatility of polling this far out from the election. Hilton called the PPIC poll “misleading” and pointed out its conflict with another poll on the billionaire tax, but the article does not provide a response from Becerra’s campaign, leaving questions about transparency and accountability.