Voters unhappy with Whitman's handling of housekeeper controversy, poll finds. What do you think?

The latest Los Angeles Times-USC poll found that a majority of those questioned believed Meg Whitman did not handle the controversy over her housekeeper's immigration status well.

The poll showed Democrat Jerry Brown with a  52% to 39% lead over Republican Whitman. Although it's not clear how much the housekeeper controversy has hurt Whitman, the poll offers some clues. According to Times Political Editor Cathleen Decker:

Overall, by 52% to 41%, voters said that Whitman had not handled the housekeeper controversy well. The same key voter groups — women, independents and Latinos — offered the harshest verdicts. When asked how Brown had handled the matter, voters were more divided, with 37% saying he did well and 43% saying he did not. Among independent voters, a plurality approved of Brown's actions.

The damage to Whitman's candidacy over the last month could be seen in a host of poll findings. The percentage of voters with an unfavorable view of her rose slightly from 47% to 52%, making her the only major candidate with a majority negative impression. Her favorable rating stayed at 37%.

In September, Nicandra Diaz Santillan held a press conference with attorney Gloria Allred to announce that she had been employed by Whitman for nine years, a period during which she said Whitman became aware of her illegal status. Whitman countered that she had not known of Diaz Santillan's status until shortly before firing her in 2009.

What do you think? Share your view below. See full coverage of the Times/USC poll here and here.

Comments

[palin]

If this woman never paid state or federal income tax, we are screwed. How can we go on pretending that illegals aren't costing us more than they are paying into the system? Add emergency room visits, Medi_Cal, Healthy Family Programs, food stamps, free education, subsidized in state UC and Cal State tuition, incarceration costs etc., etc. and the dollar amounts are beyond staggering. The math just doesn't hold up. So, everyone else gets to subsidize poor old $23/hour Nikki why we get taxed and taxed. Oh yea, $23/hour under the table is more like $28/hour taxed. I wish I could get paid that much! And I am a US citizen.

[ThereIsNOcaseforIllegals]

Hmmmm...What do I think? The housekeeper is an illegal immigrant, lied and falsified papers = jail then deportation. The parties that hired her should have incredibly huge fines and probation for first offense. Loss of business licenses and jail time for second offense. No three strikes. Gloria Allred should be reprimanded for such a frivolous case. Next time probation, then loss of license if she keeps this kind of asinine behavior up.

[Nick]

From the start two things bothered me about Meg Whitman's candidacy: 1) the fact that she only registered to vote in this decade; 2) the idea that were she to win, she'd be sending the message that the governorship can be bought - an antithesis to democracy -

As time went on and more things were revealed about her, e.g., treatment of employees, etc., raised doubts about her character. The story about her housekeeper, even if it surfaced for political reasons, confirmed those doubts. Even if it were true that she didn't learn about her maid being illegal until a year ago, if indeed it were true that the maid was like family, why on earth didn't Meg Whitman do something to help her maid stay in the U.S.? Why not help her hire a lawyer? And being a billionaire, why haven't there been reports of a generous severance package for a "pseudo-family member?" Meg Whitman doesn't deserve anyone's vote.

[eleanor]

All the personal issues should take a back seat to the question of which candidate is qualified to take on the problems of our State. And the focus should be on experience. One candidate has held several important State offices and has done so with dedication and good results. The other candidate has not been involved in any aspect of government, including the one which is relevant now -- voting. Granted that Whitman has a long history of business acumen, but it pales against the many offices that Brown has held in his service to California. She can afford to peel off a few hundred million dollars from the treasure trove her years of business have paid her. But Brown has used his expertise to help California, though that endeavor does not pay as well as being at the top of a booming internet business. Who has both the experience and the dedication to help our State? No contest!!!

[Mgz2]

Honestly, stop crying about it. I am tired of these 'sobbing' pictures as well. Get over it lady. Honest people deserve good things and those who are dishonest deserve to get what the deserve as well. Then again, if she got away with it then Whitman is the one who is dishonest as well.

[Yanri]

No one who has ever sold anything on Ebay could vote cheerfully for ex-Ebay CEO Meg Whitman. Making a fortune and spending it is her business. Nothing wrong there. But garnering a fortune through Ebay's corporate structuring of squeezing pennies upon pennies from their beholden "little-people" sellers, then splurging from that fortune in trying to buy a governorship makes one unable to comprehend such gall. Witless Whitman hasn't engendered that much love from the gods - or let's call them the "little people" - who open pathways to political power. Hey, Witless Whitman, the governorship isn't auctioned to the highest bidder.

[Fran]

Two things will stop Eb and Flo Jemenez (or pick you own geographic group), from doing what comes naturally. Look for work and, let's not be vulgar, pro-create. No jobs, they won't come. And if they come they will beget Jose and Josephina, etc. Human beings, like you and me. The Lord said you can't throw stones at little children, or something like that. Enough preaching. You fill in the rest .