News · Press Release

Issa and Applegate Tied in New DCCC Poll

Applegate Holds Huge Lead with Independents and Latinos, Trump Extremely Unpopular

Democrat challenger Marine Colonel Doug Applegate is tied with Republican incumbent Congressman Darrell Issa at 43 percent to 43 percent in a general election matchup, according to a new poll conducted by the DCCC.

As the San Diego Union-Tribune reported, Applegate performed better in California’s primary than any challenger has against Issa in his 15-year congressional career.

According to the poll, Applegate leads Issa by 32 points among Decline to State voters and 26 points among Latinos, both key voting blocs in California. The poll also shows Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump is viewed unfavorably by 60 percent of the district. In a head-to-head, Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton holds a lead over Trump.

“Darrell Issa is too busy working as a partisan talking head to realize how wrong he is for his own district,” said Barb Solish of the DCCC. “Issa thinks Donald Trump is ‘the obvious choice,’ but his constituents clearly don’t agree. Voters will hold Issa accountable for his partisanship and his stalwart support for Trump in November.”

After Issa’s poor performance in California’s primary, two prominent political handicappers moved the race from ‘Safe/Solid Republican’ to ‘Likely Republican.’

Sabato’s Crystal Ball:

Sabato: [O]ne result that stood out to us was the relatively weak showing by Rep. Darrell Issa (R, CA-49)…

Barack Obama actually won the district by a point in 2008, and Mitt Romney won it by six points in 2012. Still, the district’s voter registration is trending Democratic, and it is a quarter Hispanic and has far above-average median income and college education levels, all indicators that could suggest Trump could underperform Romney’s 2012 performance…”

Cook Political Report:

“…Issa is a high-profile Trump defender on television in a rapidly changing, well-educated district that may not favor Trump.”

California’s 49th District runs along California’s coast from Northern San Diego County to Southern Orange County and includes Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. President Barack Obama won the district in 2008 with 50.6% of the two-way vote.





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