CA-SEN

Poll: Feinstein Crushes GOPers In 2012 CA Senate Race

Jon Terbush | February 3, 2011, 8:39AM

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Last year, Republican Carly Fiorina put a scare into the Democratic Party by making her race against incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) seem close, if only for a few months. Yet Republicans may have less cause for excitement when they challenge Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) in 2012, as a new PPP poll shows Feinstein dominating a slate of prominent GOP challengers by anywhere from 14 to 34 points.

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2010 elections

I Am Not A Witch...I'm Aqua Buddha?: The Most Iconic Moments From The 2010 Campaign

Jillian Rayfield | November 2, 2010, 11:56AM

Scenes from the 2010 midterms.

From the moment "Tom Campbell"'s eyes glowed red in Carly Fiorina's "Demon Sheep" ad, we knew this campaign season was going to be chock-full of bizarre and memorable memes. And we were right -- sheep, witches, and chickens were just a few of the iconic moments from the 2010 midterm elections.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Stranger Than Fiction? TPM Casts The 2010 Midterms Movie]

So here are TPM's favorites...

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CA-SEN

CA GOP Chooses Carly Fiorina To Challenge Barbara Boxer

Christina Bellantoni | June 8, 2010, 12:33AM

CA-SEN candidate Carly Fiorina (R)

Carly Fiorina has won the Republican nomination for the Senate race to challenge Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) this fall. Fiorina, the former Hewlett Packard executive, bested two opponents in one of the most hotly contested primaries this cycle.

The Associated Press and Fox News have called Fiorina as the winner, with 12 percent of precincts reporting. Fiorina had 58% while former Rep. Tom Campbell had 23% and tea party and conservative favorite Chuck DeVore had 17%. Like Meg Whitman, the former eBay chief executive who won the Republican nomination for governor tonight, Fiorina's only political experience has been serving as an adviser to Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential bid.

The primary was marked by demon sheep and battles over immigration policy. Fiorina was boosted in recent weeks after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin jumped in with an endorsement.

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Tom Campbell

New Campbell Ad: I Can Beat Barbara Boxer (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | June 3, 2010, 11:24AM

Former Rep. Tom Campbell (R-CA)

Former Rep. Tom Campbell has gone back on the air in California, with an ad trumpeting a recent poll that shows him beating Sen. Barbara Boxes (D-CA) in a head-to-head general election match-up. As the June 8 Republican Senate primary approaches, Campbell has struggled with his limited financial resources, but his latest ad asks voters to look past frontrunner Carly Fiorina's deep pockets.

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CA-SEN

Last Shot: Candidates Lay Out Their Closing Arguments In CA-SEN

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 2, 2010, 5:29PM

Republican candidates for CA Senate Chuck Devore, Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell

Carly Fiorina has money to burn. Former Rep. Tom Campbell has poll numbers. Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has neither, but he's got heart. So goes the closing arguments of the hard-fought California Republican Senate primary. Will public polls showing it's now Fiorina's race to lose, the two men who once seemed destined to keep Fiorina out of Washington are now scrambling to make in impact in the final days before the June 8 primary.

Campbell, who was once the frontrunner, has taken a spectacular fall from grace. Penniless, the man who won his party's Senate nomination ten years ago now can't afford TV ads in the primary's final days. DeVore, a Jim DeMint-backed conservative who started the race with visions of becoming the Marco Rubio to Fiorina's Charlie Crist, told me today about "keeping the fire going" among his remaining volunteers.

For her part, Fiorina has already left the primary behind. Up by double digits in the latest polls, she's turned her attention -- and considerable fortune -- to attacking Sen. Barbara Boxer. Her Republican opponents say that's the problem.

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CA-SEN

Poll: Fiorina Leads Campbell In CA-SEN Republican Primary

Eric Kleefeld | May 31, 2010, 9:59AM

CA-SEN candidate Carly Fiorina (R)

The new poll of California by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D) shows former Hewlett Packard Fiorina CEO with a strong lead in next Tuesday's Republican primary for Senate -- while it's also possible her main primary opponent, former Rep. Tom Campbell, could be the stronger GOPer for the general election against Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.

The numbers for the primary: Fiorina 38%, Campbell 23%, and state Rep. Chuck DeVore 16%. The survey of likely GOP primary voters has a ±4.5% margin of error. The TPM Poll Average gives Fiorina 34.5% Campbell 24.8%, and DeVore 15.7%.

However, it should be noted that Campbell is the only one of the three GOPers who leads Boxer in this poll. Boxer leads Fiorina by 44%-38%, Campbell leads Boxer by 45%-38%, and Boxer leads DeVore by 46%-36%. Each match-up was tested among a separate third-sample of registered voters, with a ±4.5% margin of error each. The TPM Poll Average has Boxer leading Fiorina 45.3%-39.6%, Boxer leading Campbell 43.8%-41.1%, and Boxer leading DeVore 46.3%-38.9%

CA-SEN

New Fiorina Ad Touts Her Conservative Cred (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | May 28, 2010, 12:34PM

CA-SEN candidate Carly Fiorina (R)

With the CA-SEN GOP primary fast approaching, Carly Fiorina has gone up with a new television ad underscoring her conservative bona fides and attacking her opponent Tom Campbell for not signing the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

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CA-SEN

Poll: Boxer Unpopular But Still Ahead Of Republicans

Eric Kleefeld | May 26, 2010, 2:17PM

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

The new survey of California from Public Policy Polling (D) gives Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer a very low approval rating -- but she's still narrowly ahead of her Republican challengers.

Boxer's approval rating is only 37%, with disapproval of 46%. however, she leads former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina by 45%-42%, leads former Rep. Tom Campbell by 47%-40%, and is ahead of state Rep. Chuck DeVore by 46%-40%. The survey of registered voters has a ±3.2% margin of error. The TPM Poll Average gives Boxer a lead of 45.6%-40.0% over Fiorina, with similar leads over Campbell and DeVore.

"It definitely looks like this will be Barbara Boxer's toughest fight for reelection to date," writes PPP president Dean Debnam. "Once again though she is helped by the fact that even if she's not too popular, her opposition isn't either."

CA-SEN

Campbell And DeVore Pounce On Fiorina At California Debate

Eric Kleefeld | May 25, 2010, 6:36PM

Republican candidates for CA Senate Chuck Devore, Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell

The Republican candidates for Senate in California just debated on the local KFI AM talk radio station -- with ex-Congressman Tom Campbell and state Rep. Chuck DeVore turning their fire on the establishment frontrunner in the race, former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

While sparks flew at the debate, though, it's not immediately clear whether any candidates scored knockout blow that could sufficiently damage Fiorina in the home stretch of the campaign, or for that matter whether Fiorina fully sealed the deal. The TPM Poll Average gives Fiorina a sudden lead with 29.1%, Campbell 27.0%, and DeVore 15.9% -- in the wake of some very strong poll results for Fiorina -- after Campbell had previously led in polling for this primary all year.

During a period when the candidates were given the opportunity to question each other, DeVore grilled Fiorina on her lack of a voting record -- not simply as someone who has not been an elected official, but as a voter who missed many elections. It was noted that in 2000, she advocated for the failed Proposition 26, which would have relaxed an anti-tax statute that has been in effect since the 1970s. As if that wasn't bad enough for GOP orthodoxy, it was then added that she did not actually vote in the election itself.

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CA-SEN

Money And TV Ads Boost Fiorina Ahead Of Rivals In California Senate Primary

Eric Kleefeld | May 25, 2010, 3:54PM

CA-SEN candidate Carly Fiorina (R)

How is it that former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, the GOP's establishment-backed candidate for Senate in California, has quickly shot into the lead in the Republican primary? After having been down by double-digits against former Rep. Tom Campbell, she's now ahead by an even bigger double-digit margin, according to a pair of recent polls. The answer appears to be mainly money and a well-timed television ad campaign going into the home stretch of the June 8 primary -- along with a big push by conservatives against Campbell.

As recently as last week, a Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll gave Campbell a lead of 37%-22% over Fiorina in the GOP primary. But now, SurveyUSA gives Fiorina an even bigger lead of 46%-23%, and Public Policy Polling (D) similarly has her ahead of Campbell by 41%-21%. (The other candidate, Tea Party-backed state Rep. Chuck DeVore, has consistently polled in third.) The TPM Poll Average gives Fiorina a sudden lead with 29.1%, Campbell 27.0%, and DeVore 15.9%, after Campbell had led in polling for this primary all year.

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CA-SEN

Another Poll Shows Fiorina Jumping To Front Of CA-SEN Republican Primary

Eric Kleefeld | May 25, 2010, 1:51PM

Republican candidates for CA Senate Chuck Devore, Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell

Another new survey of California, this time from Public Policy Polling (D), shows former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina suddenly shooting to the top of the Republican primary for Senate.

The numbers: Fiorina 41%, former Rep. Tom Campbell 21%, and state Rep. Chuck DeVore 16%. The survey of likely GOP primary voters has a ±4.8% margin of error. The TPM Poll Average gives Fiorina a sudden lead with 29.1%, Campbell 27.0%, and DeVore 15.9%, after Campbell had led in polling for this primary all year.

PPP also has former eBay CEO Meg Whitman posting a very strong lead in the GOP gubernatorial primary over state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner: Whitman 51%, Poizner 26%. The TPM Poll Average gives Whitman a lead of 42.8%-31.0%.

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CA-SEN

Poll: Fiorina, Whitman Take Big Leads In California GOP Primaries

Eric Kleefeld | May 24, 2010, 7:09PM

CA-SEN candidate Carly Fiorina (R)

The new SurveyUSA poll of California finds that Carly Fiorina has shot to the top of the Republican primary for Senate, and Meg Whitman is maintaining a huge lead in the gubernatorial primary, as well.

The numbers for the Senate race: Fiorina 46%, former Rep. Tom Campbell 23%, and Chuck DeVore 14%. The survey of likely GOP primary voters has a ±4% margin of error. In the last SurveyUSA poll from just two weeks ago, Campbell led with 35%, followed by Fiorina with 24% and DeVore at 15%.

The numbers for the gubernatorial race: Whitman 54%, state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner 27%. The survey of likely GOP primary voters has a ±4% margin of error. Two weeks ago, Whitman was ahead in SurveyUSA polling by the statistically insignificant margin of 39%-37%.

CA-SEN

Poll: Tom Campbell Widens Lead In CA-SEN Republican Primary

Eric Kleefeld | May 21, 2010, 1:12PM

Republican candidates for CA Senate Chuck Devore, Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of the California Senate race shows that former Rep. Tom Campbell, a Republican who is widely opposed by the national right wing, is continuing to run away with the GOP primary for Senate.

The numbers: Campbell 37%, former Hewlett Packard CEO and establishment favorite Carly Fiorina 22%, and Tea Party favorite state Rep. Chuck DeVore 14%. Back in March, Campbell had 33%, Fiorina 24%, and DeVore 7%. The survey of likely primary voters has a ±5% margin of error. The TPM Poll Average has Campbell 30.1%, Fiorina 22.7%, and DeVore 15.4%.

The primary will be held in just two and a half weeks, on June 8.

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CA-SEN

Poll: Barbara Boxer In Tight Race In California

Eric Kleefeld | March 18, 2010, 10:28AM

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

The new Field Poll finds Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in a tough race this year, with the results within the margin of error against her three Republican challengers.

Former Rep. Tom Campbell has a statistically insignificant edge of 44%-43% over Boxer, within the ±3.7% margin of error. Boxer has a similarly narrow 45%-44% advantage over former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, and Boxer leads state Rep. Chuck DeVore by 45%-41%. Back in January, Boxer led Campbell by 48%-38%, led Fiorina by 50%-35%, and led DeVore by 51%-34%.

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CA-SEN

DeVore Campaign Gimmick: 'Demon Sheep Hunting Spree'

Eric Kleefeld | March 1, 2010, 3:54PM

A still from Fiorina's "FCINO" web video.

California state Rep. Chuck DeVore, a candidate for the Republican nomination for Senate, has a fun online activity going on today: Asking visitors to go a special Web site and hunt the demon sheep!

The site is a takeoff on an infamous Web video that was put out a month ago by the campaign of his Republican rival Carly Fiorina, who was attacking the third candidate in the race, former Rep. Tom Campbell, as a "fiscal conservative in name only." The video depicted Campbell as some sort of monstrous creature with glowing red eyes -- perhaps a wolf, perhaps a demon -- in sheep's clothing.

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CA-SEN

Fiorina Camp: Expect Ads Even More Shocking Than Demon Sheep

Rachel Slajda | February 4, 2010, 5:28PM

A still from Fiorina's "FCINO" web video.

You loved Demon Sheep. So did the Carly Fiorina campaign -- it says today that, due the overwhelming success of yesterday's web ad, the voting public can expect even more gems from its web video department.

The world "can expect to see equally if not more shocking web-based ads or videos," a Fiorina spokeswoman tells the Daily Beast's Benjy Sarlin. (Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, is running for Senate from California.)

"It's been touted as the most genius ad ever all the way down to the worst, but no matter what, people are talking about it and it generates views," said the spokeswoman, Julie Soderlund, saying the video has been a "great success."

If you haven't seen the video, watch:

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Tom Campbell

Poll: Tom Campbell Leads Republican Senate Primary In California; GOPers All Trail Boxer

Eric Kleefeld | January 21, 2010, 10:11AM

Former Rep. Tom Campbell (R-CA)

Former Rep. Tom Campbell (R-CA), who recently switched from the gubernatorial race to instead run for Senate against incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer, has now become the leader in the GOP Senate primary, according to the new Field Poll. The big loser for now is state Rep. Chuck DeVore, whose support has collapsed in the process.

The numbers: Campbell 30%, former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina 25%, and DeVore 6%, with 39% undecided. Back in October, Fiorina had 21% and DeVore 20%, before Campbell entered the race. All three Republicans trail Boxer in the general election matches. Boxer leads Campbell by 48%-38%, leads Fiorina by 50%-35%, and leads DeVore by 51%-34%.

Campbell, a socially liberal and economically libertarian Republican, previously served in Congress from 1989-1993, then narrowly lost the Republican primary for Senate to run against Barbara Boxer in an open-seat race. He returned to Congress in a 1995 special election, then became the Republican nominee for Senate in 2000 against Dianne Feinstein, losing in a landslide.

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