The California gubernatorial race is now running at full-speed, and a new poll shows Republican Meg Whitman is running just ahead of Democratic nominee Jerry Brown.
The Rasmussen survey of 750 likely voters in California shows Whitman leading Brown 48-45. The poll has a margin of error of 4%. In the last Rasmussen poll of the contest, conducted Aug. 24, Whitman led 51-43, suggesting independent campaigns run by unions and other Brown-supporting groups aimed at tearing down Whitman while she ran alone after the GOP primary may have had some success.
Now Whitman has Brown to contend with as well. He just launched his first television ad of the general election, part of a full-scale campaign against the billionaire Whitman that he’s promised supporters for months. Since winning the primary, Whitman has been using her considerable personal resources to hammer Brown and build up her own Obama-style campaign operation through the summer, and now her plans will be put to the test as Brown ramps up.
The TPM Poll Average shows Whitman ahead 45.6-43.9.
