Nearly two-thirds of Californians believe Sen. Dianne Feinstein is no longer fit to serve in office due to her health condition, a new poll found.
The respondents, which ranged across the ideological spectrum, cited the 89-year-old Feinstein’s latest illness as the reason she should resign, according to the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by The Los Angeles Times. Twenty percent of respondents disagreed.
Feinstein took several months away from her office earlier this year to recover from shingles. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, her absence caused a logjam on party-line judicial nominees.
Though she has since returned to the hill, 52 percent of surveyed Democratic voters in California believe she should resign, according to the poll. If that happens, Gov. Gavin Newsom would be able to appoint a replacement to serve out the term.
But voters aren’t sure who they would support in a Senate primary, the poll found. Republican attorney Eric Early has a slight lead with 18 percent of respondents — nearly all Republicans. Democrats aren’t far behind: Rep. Katie Porter polled at 17 percent, followed by Rep. Adam Schiff at 14 percent and Rep. Barbara Lee at 9 percent.
