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California poll: Trump ahead in GOP primary

By Kristen East

Donald Trump leads the Republican field in California more than two months before the state’s primary, according to a new statewide poll of Republicans.

Trump leads with 37 percent among registered Republicans in California, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll released Sunday. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz follows with 30 percent, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich trails with 12 percent.

Trump leads his opponents in most areas of the state. Cruz tends to do well with conservative voters in the Central Valley, according to the poll.

Cruz gains on Trump and makes it a closer race when looking at those who are most likely to vote in the state’s June 7 primary: Trump and Cruz then run neck-and-neck, earning 36 percent and 35 percent support, respectively.

Were Trump to win the presidential nomination outright after California’s primary, more than a quarter of registered Republicans in the state — 27 percent — say they would refuse to vote for him in the general election.

The poll was conducted by phone March 16-23. It has a margin of error of 2.8 percentage points for the full sample and 5.5 points for the Republican primary sample. The poll included 1,503 registered voters in California, 391 of whom are registered Republicans.

Delegate-rich California votes June 7 along with Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota; it is the last day of the Republican primary calendar.