California Governor: Brown (D) Inching Closer to 50% Support

In the first poll conducted since Meg Whitman faced accusations from her former housekeeper and a debate on Univision, former Governor Jerry Brown now holds a modest advantage in California’s gubernatorial race.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Brown picking up 49% of the vote while Whitman draws support from 44%. Four percent (4%) prefer some other candidate while four percent (4%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Two weeks ago, the candidates were virtually tied with Brown picking up 47% support to Whitman’s 46%.

In surveys conducted from February through September, Whitman, the former CEO of eBay, has earned 38% to 48% support. Brown's backing in those same surveys ranged from 40% to 47%.

This race moves from Toss-Up to Leans Democratic in the Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 Gubernatorial Scorecard.

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in California was conducted on October 3, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/-4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Other data from this survey can be found at www.rasmussenreports.com/California. New numbers for the U.S. Senate race in California will be released tomorrow.

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