New Polling has DeMaio Leading Peters: DeMaio beats Peters among women, young voters and latinos

Yesterday the UT reported on new polling in the race for the 52nd Congressional district.  This SurveyUSA poll seems to back up the poll that the NRCC is touting on the strength of DeMaio’s candidacy against Peters. SurveyUSA’s poll has DeMaio up 9, while the NRCC’s internal numbers have DeMaio up 10.

Below is the UT’s report.  California Briefing has the detailed analysis on the cross-tabs, including: “DeMaio leads young voters (18-34 years old) by four points, Hispanics by two points, and women by five points…Independents choose DeMaio by a surprisingly high 27 points, suggesting that recent scandals in Washington have turned independents off to voting for Democrats next year.”

DeMaio tops Peters in 52nd District poll

Carl DeMaio is riding high after a U-T San Diego/10News poll showed him leading freshman Democratic Rep. Scott Peters by 9 points.

The telephonic poll of 500 registered voters in the 52nd Congressional District asked respondents who they would vote for if the only candidates the GOP’s DeMaio or Peters. DeMaio got 48 percent compared to 39 percent for Peters. Thirteen percent were undecided.

The former San Diego City Councilman and 2012 mayoral candidate also bested Peters when respondents were asked how they viewed the two. DeMaio’s favorability rating was 39 percent compared to Peters 29 percent.

Peters had the edge when asked who would do more to protect Medicare, getting 34 percent compared to DeMaio’s 28 percent.

And even though both men support same-sex marriage and access to abortion, DeMaio got 40 percent when asked who better reflected the respondent’s positions on social issues compared to 38 percent for Peters.

“What we are seeing is an amazing response from San Diegans across the political spectrum,” DeMaio said Wednesday, adding his message of reform of Congress seems to be resonating. He announced his 2014 bid against Peters on May 30.

Peters’ spokeswoman MaryAnne Pintar said Peters remains focused on his work in Congress and not on any polls.

“Scott went to Congress just five months ago to change an unpopular, broken institution and he’s worked hard every day to do that,” she said.

She added that the former San Diego port commissioner and city councilman is co-chairing a bi-partisan Congressional Reform Committee, and has voted against his party’s wishes “when he thinks it’s the best way to create jobs for San Diegans.”

The poll that reached voters via cellphone and landline was conducted by SurveyUSA June10-13 and has a 4.5 percent plus or minus margin of error.

The 52nd District is seen as a top-tier battleground by the Republican and Democratic parties. Most political analysts currently rate the district as a toss-up, much like last year when Peters defeated long-time incumbent GOP Rep. Brian Bilbray.

Republicans hold a slight edge in registration and independents account for nearly 30 percent of the electorate.

DeMaio is the only announced challenger to Peters. San Diego businessman and Republican Robert Shilling keeps surfacing as a possible entry. He did not a return a call seeking comment.

The official filing period for the office begins Feb. 10.