Schiff has narrow lead over Porter, other rivals in US Senate race, poll says

Rep. Adam Schiff is maintaining a narrow lead in the race for California's U.S. Senate seat, according to a new poll, but a tight battle for second-place and a tranche of undecided voters signal a close contest to come.

Schiff, D-Burbank, has a 4-point lead over Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine. Not far behind are Republican Steve Garvey and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, according to the latest poll from UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies.

With just over a week to go until the top four candidates gather in Los Angeles for their first debate, the survey sets the stage for a lively primary after decades-long reigns of senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Schiff garnered 21% among surveyed likely voters, while Porter nipped at his heels with 17%, considering the poll's 2-point margin of error, with Garvey's 13% not far behind. Rep. Lee followed with 9%, while a relatively large portion of likely voters surveyed, 21%, remain undecided. Compared to the Institute's October poll, former Los Angeles Dodger Garvey has had the most growth in support since polling began, nearly doubling from 7% in August, while support for Democrats Schiff and Porter remained roughly the same.

“Representative Schiff appears to be in a good position with respect to the top two primary, but it will be a very different race in November if his opponent is another Democrat, like Porter or Lee, who receive greater support among strong liberals and young voters, or if he opposes conservative Republican Garvey," poll co-Director Eric Schickler said in a Jan. 12 news release. "With so many voters undecided, there is still considerable space for a range of outcomes in the primary.”

More: Steve Garvey hopes to return California to past glory with U.S. Senate run

The survey found support for Schiff is mostly concentrated among likely voters ages 65 or older, where he holds a nearly three-to-one advantage over Porter, whose base is aged 40 or younger.

Another factor that could move the needle is the evolving Israel-Hamas war, which has become a significant issue among likely voters and begun to divide the top Democratic hopefuls after Porter and Lee publicly called for a ceasefire.

Primary voters will be in a unique position to vote twice this year, electing a candidate to a full six-year term and to serve out the remaining months of the current term left by the death of Feinstein in September, which is temporarily filled by the appointed Laphonza Butler.

The top two candidates following the March 5 primary, regardless of party affiliation, will appear on California's general ballot this November. The first debate in the Senate race is slated for Jan. 22, hosted by POLITICO, Fox 11 Los Angeles and the University of Southern California Dornsife Center for the Political Future.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Latest California Senate race polling: Schiff narrowly leads field