SAN FRANCISCO – (INT) – Front-runners for two top statewide posts are emerging less than three months before the June Primary.

A statewide survey released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found Democrat Gavin Newsom has surged ahead of Antonio Villaraigosa in the state’s gubernatorial race, and Republican John Cox has made headway among the state’s likely voters.

Senator Dianne Feinstein maintains her double-digit lead over fellow Democrat Kevin de León.

A majority of likely voters (55%) are satisfied with candidate choices in the gubernatorial primary, with Democrats (71%) much more likely than independents (48%) or Republicans (42%) to be satisfied.

Half of likely voters are following news about the candidates very (14%) or fairly (34%) closely, the PPIC found. Interest in the races has increased 18 points since January and has nearly doubled since last December.

When asked which issue they would most like to hear gubernatorial candidates talk about between now and June, about a quarter of likely voters (23%) say immigration or illegal immigration, with guns, gun control, or school safety the second most frequently named issue.

Story Date: March 27, 2018