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PowerPAC-NDN Poll: Schwarzenegger in Big Trouble with Latinos

A new poll of California Latinos shows a deep dislike of Governor Schwarzenegger. In this poll of 600 Spanish dominant likely voters, the governor has higher disapproval ratings than President Bush, and is losing among this important group to his opponent Phil Angelides by 64-21. Latino voters make up about 18% of the California electorate, and more than half of those are dominant Spanish-speakers.

Download the full PowerPoint presentation of poll results here.

These new results are consistent with national polls showing a dramatic erosion of support for Republicans in the Hispanic community, and confirm a recent Field Poll's finding that the California governor is not only struggling to put together an electoral majority (he was at 44%), but also confirms that the Governor is in trouble with the overall Latino community – not just Spanish-dominant Latinos, receiving only a 30% to Angelides’ 42%.

"Despite being an immigrant himself, Governor Schwarzenegger has completely lost the faith of Latino immigrant voters," said Steve Phillips, President of PowerPAC. "The depth of dislike for the governor in this increasingly influential community will not be easily reversed and spells trouble for the Republican Party in California for a long time to come."

"The immigration debate this year has turned Latinos across the nation against Republicans, which is bad news in itself for the Republican Party," said Joe Garcia, Director of NDN’s Hispanic Strategy Center. "But here in California, if there is a close election, this deep dislike of the current governor, could be the key to electing a new governor if the Democrats are able to tap into this disillusionment."

This poll, conducted by Bendixen & Associates on behalf of PowerPAC and the NDN Political Fund, was of likely Hispanic voters in three counties in Southern California – Orange, San Bernardino and San Diego – that are more Republican than other parts of the state. These counties represent the largest potential for increasing Latino voter turnout in the state.

Some of the key findings include:

• Among this audience, Phil Angelides is leading Schwarzenegger 64% to 21%, despite more than half of these voters having no positive or negative opinion of Angelides (54% say he is unknown to them). This strengthens a recent Field Poll finding that Angelides is also leading with all Latinos by 42%.
• Schwarzenegger is not only deeply unpopular in these communities, with 69% holding a negative view of him, but he is also seen as untrustworthy. 73% of these voters said they do not trust Schwarzenegger to represent the interests of the Latino community.
• These voters are concerned about their growing inability to afford a middle-class life in California, listing high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, and high natural gas and electricity bills among their top concerns facing the state. The national debate over immigration is also deeply important to these voters, with nearly 60% saying growing anti-immigrant and anti-Latino sentiment in the country has affected them and their family.
• Fully 68% of these voters said the recent comments by Gov. Schwarzenegger, in which he referenced a Latina Assemblywoman as being “very hot” due to her “black blood mixed with Latino blood” were insensitive or racist, with only 26% agreeing the comments were “mostly harmless,” as was the primary reaction portrayed in the media.

Your Comments

Susan said:

The best person for the job of Governor is Peter Camejo. If all the Latinos who aren't bothering to vote would go to the polls we could elect a real leader

September 30, 2006 03:08 AM

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