New poll: Now, signs of real vulnerability for California's Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer

So, is California's brittle Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer about to become the next Harry Reid? Which is to say, embattled at home.

As Reid worked the wallets of San Francisco on Presidents' Day to raise money for his endangered seat in Nevada, some stunning new Rasmussen Reports poll out today makes a compelling point:

For the second straight month the three-term senator is unable to break the 50% mark against any potential Republican opponents, the historical measuring mark of vulnerability for an incumbent nine months before an election.

For a Democrat in a Democrat state that gave Barack Obama 61% of its votes in 2008 (and still likes him more than many other places) to be mired in the mid-40's is a sign of real trouble. This is especially so given the fact that disgruntled voters gave Democrats control of the House, Senate and White House in 2008, expecting something to....

...happen beyond another congressional payraise. Voters appear to be looking at a the stubborn ineffectiveness of the much-vaunted economic stimulation bill, continued high unemployment and waning Obama approval. It's not like they don't know Boxer after all her years in the state's public life. To help with the warmth of money, Boxer has Al Gore's headline help fundraising.

Yes, sure, incumbents retain huge powers and money advantages over challengers and it's a long time until November, when the five-term ex-representative Boxer will turn 70. But nationally, indications are growing that 2010 could be a tidal wave election beyond the usual midterm swing with voters believing in a different kind of change to believe in.

Is it possible they could dump out a Democrat even in California?

Rasmussen found Boxer barely leading Republican challenger Carly Fiorina, 46-42, the same margin as January but down from a 10-point lead in September. Boxer beats former congressman Tom Campbell by the same four-point margin, 45-41, the same as in January when he jumped into the race, and is ahead of state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore by only five points, 47-42, down from her November lead of 10 points and January's 46-40 spread.

Rasmussen interprets the numbers as showing the race right now is much more about the outspoken Boxer than any of her challengers or what they are doing/saying.

One particularly ominous sign for the incumbent: One out of four California voters has a very favorable opinion of Boxer. But one out of three has a very unfavorable opinion.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Click here to receive Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item all day every day. Or follow us @latimestot. You can also go to our new Facebook FAN page here.

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[Menlo Bob]

Bayh did it now it's up to you...jump Babs!

[Marie]

If it could happen in Massachusetts, it could happen in California.

I guess then we wouldn't hear our finest being lectured for calling her "ma'am."

That was so reprehensible of her. Really revealed her character.

[Michael Kennedy]

There is a slight chance that California voters will realize the trouble the state is in before bonds start to default and the state falls into the abyss. This is about the last chance.

[David H Dennis]

Maybe the Demon Sheep was actually an effective ad, however bizarre it was!

It did get attention!

D

[Timstigator]

How can even California vote this leftist munchkin shrew again and again? And now, I learn she will be 70. Please, California, do us all a favor and retire her out.

[Duke]

Hey California, Boxer and Brown and all of the other statist govt-is-the-solution-to-everything politicians from either party have bankrupted you without even helping out the poor; they've spent it all on their politcal patrons. It will be a long slog back to fiscal health but if anyone can do it the innovative people of CA can. Take that first step and fire Boxer for being among the worst of those who think your money is better spent by them. Every worthwhile journey begins with that first step.

[Kolya]

Now it would be really great if the LA times folks could print more op-ed's denigrating the Tea Party phenomenon and folks associated it with it.

That would really help Barbara Boxer get re-elected ;-)

Every little bit helps!

[NMH]

Maybe she's endangered because she is a clueless, arrogant, unsufferable liar.

[Norm Silver]

Get Boxer, Pelosi and Watson out of our government. I rather have a seat vacant than be occupied by a candidate who does little to nothing to improve the lot of this nation and its peoples.

[obladioblada]

Perhaps soon she can be addressed as "unemployed former Senator Boxer". She earned it. Right, Senator?

[gomer pyle]

shazzam.

[Cecil Moon]

I am encouraged to see that, in addition to the report in the article, the commenters are speechless. Apparently, the folks in California are so stunned by this development they can muster neither praise nor condemnation. For those of us in the Ozark sticks, we are delighted by the prospect of having Boxer shut up, once and for all. Is that really possible?

[Girl with a Pearl Earring]

Senator Boxer: You're out! (I use "Senator" because I reserve "ma'am" only for women of good breeding.)

[jake]

As a democrat I will do everything in my power to end this nitwit's time in office.
How dare she doesn't get the state of California more money from her boss, the President.

[Jayne]

Bounce Babs Boxer OUT of DC. For the first time in my 62 years I will be working to get a politician out of office. Not just by voting anymore, but hitting the streets and phones, whatever it takes to get Boxer out.

[jefcostello]

Oh how sweet it will be to remove this incompetent hack. Boxer is a leftist cult member, for gosh sakes she believes in global warming! Let's remove this twisted socialist hag in 2010, and party when she loses like there is no tomorrow!!!

Bye bye Boxer, you slithering fool!!

[mac691]

Despite all of the issues between the parties, and many of them are well founded, I just don't know how anyone can vote for this imbecile. I used to work closely with Clinton people, and they were unanimous that Boxer was the most idiotic person in Washington. People are hard pressed to find ANYTHING she has done as Senator other than to demagogue and to act the fool. She is a complete embarassment even to the low standards of California. One other thing, as a supposed friend of the poor, she is one of the richest people in Congress and her husband has a long history as a slumloard in the bay area. Get rid of this buffoon. The sooner, the better.

[Roger F]

The Goracle is coming to help out? Wow! That should really help.

[Dump the dem bums]

Bayh today,Boxer tomorrow or next week ?the democrat senate election
commitee might ask her to throw in the towel.Pelosi,who is an even more
irritating liberal wacko than Boxer would have a bird if she were to face
such bad re-election prospects.not much chance for that in her left of Stalin
district,unless the Chicago boys in the white house decide that Pelosi should
be used as a sacrificial lamb.

[Leftcoastconservative]

We must rid out state of the welfare mentality and it starts with Sen Boxer.

[CosmicConservative]

Barbara Boxer is almost certainly the least intelligent person to have ever served in the Senate. She is an embarrassment to California, the United States and the people of earth.

The fact that she has been reelected says a lot about her constituents. It would take a lot to wake those folks up to what a bone-head she is.

I guess Obama qualifies as "a lot."

[Jerry M]

It's understandable why a state that can repeatedly send an airhead like Barbara Boxer to the US Senate is in such deep trouble. Too many morons go to the polls.

[sherlock]

I hope someday soon we can call her "Former" Senator Boxer, because she's worked hard to earn that title, you know?

[Rich Wheeler]

This woman's hubris knows no bounds. I hope her Republican challenger brings up how she was the worst abuser in the House Bank Scandal so people will know what I'm talking about when I call her Barbara Bouncer.

[Worldtraveler]

I am a democrat. I did not vote for Obama because he is an extreme radical; additionally, I shall not vote for Senator Barbara Boxer or any other democrat from California. Indeed, I e-mail Senator Boxer, and she replies generically and assuring me that she supports Barack Obama one hundred per cent. This is not the California type politician I want in Washington.

[Rick]

Fear not, the Republicans will nominate another corporate elitist like Fiorina, who will be stunned by the viciousness of the Boxer propaganda machine, left flatfooted and dazed, and wondering what happened. California Republicans have an unmatched ability to sabotage their own pathetic campaigns. As repulsive as Babs the Baby Butcher is, she is the perfect model of liberal fascism, and she serves the purpose of illustrating just how evil liberal fascist ideology is. Americans are slow to get it, so keeping vile creatures like Boxer and Harry Reid around serves an educational purpose. Unfortunately, it's no longer politically correct to put their heads on a spike at the city gates

[Bob Fenster]

And you're gonna replace her with Carlyfornia Fiorina? The female George W. Bush? Good luck with that...

[Howitisis]

Goodbye, "Ma'am."

[Bill]

Democrats are synonymous with FAILED leadership in California, and FAILED leaderhsip at the national level. Boxer is toast. Devore for Senate!
The rubber is about to me the road

[Charlie]

Go Chuck! Boxer's going to pay for the way she treated that General (please call me Senator) and the way she tried to pull that phony race crap with Harry Alford.

[Al ramy]

It will be a blessing to see the two CA senators depart. California's only hope is with politicians with real business experience and seasoned professionals, unlike the two washed out San Francisco panderers representing the State in D.C.

[OregonStorm]

Unfortunately, congress in particular and Washington in general are full of arrogant, self important people with whom the electorate has grown disgusted. They spend far more time jockeying for positions of superiority among their colleagues and too little time listening to their constituents priorities or even caring what what they think. This is not what the founders had in mind nor are the extended careers in legislation.

The time is long past for voters to be complacent about what congress does. These people, regrettably, are not trustworthy. Re-electing these swollen headed idiots is no longer a choice. If congress is unable to get anything done in this election cycle, it bothers me not at all. Gridlock is far more preferable to enacting laws which will be binding on all even though only supported by a small percentage of radical ideologues. Just a personal observation but we might be better served if we stopped voting for lawyers who generate 2,000+ page bills which no one understands nor even has the time to READ.

[INTJ]

Reconcile this, Barbara. Is the fascistic health care mandate worth walking the plank? "Ma'am"?

[Unhappy California Voter]

Please let the Republicans run Tom Campbell! Even as a registered Democrat, I could vote for him in the general election with a clear conscience.

[SepStateEcon]

Wish list for Santa:
1) Get rid of BB
2) Part time legislature for CA -- give the monkeys less time to monkey around with our lives.
3) 28th Constitutional amendment for term limits -- representing people should not turn into a career; it's a part time job -- serve your 2 terms and get back to the real world!

[Jim Blow]

So...Fiorina runs a multi-Billion dollar corporation into the ground, and doesn't like to vote.

Boxer's a "munchkin".

I get it, now.

Easy choice.

[AZsmitty, Arizona]

The lesson needed to be learned by those who seek public office is The United States of America is a representative republic. Mrs. Boxer is the poster child for child-like arrogance. She is the representative to the US Senate from the State of California. The Senate is the institution, not those serving there. Her, and all others elected are representatives of the people of the respective states. The only title they should use is Representative, a daily reminder as to what their job is. The call me Senator will be the albotros that sinks this arrogant person.

[Gallaxie]

Bounce Babs Boxer OUT of DC. For the first time in my 62 years I will be working to get a politician out of office. Not just by voting anymore, but hitting the streets and phones, whatever it takes to get Boxer out.

Posted by: Jayne | February 15, 2010 at 05:26 PM

Jayne..I live in Mass and felt the same way. I have always voted and felt I did my part. Not this time. I actively campaigned for Brown and gave rides to the polls on election day. I held signs on corners during the campaign and also at the polls in between rides. Keep that attitude and miracles will happen. Good Luck.

[Amazingoly]

"Don't call me ma'am Boxer" just does NOT deserve another term in the Senate. Her arrogance and one-sided, selfish attitude won't be missed in Washington or California. At 70, it is time for retirement anyway. Any of the three Republicans can do a better job for California than Boxer, in my opinion.

[Kevin Davis]

time to send these democrats back home where they can't do too much damage to the rest of the country. democrats have had their chance since 2006 when they won control of both houses but nothing has been done since then. moreover, obama's lack of follow-through is making him look more like jimmy carter, a one-term president. watch out, people, but it looks like '94 all over again, though by 2012 there will be a republican in the white house as well. have a great day!

[Danram]

As someone who used to live in California, I can attest to what a complete left-wing dingbat Barbara Boxer is. I will be buying a round of drinks for everyone in the bar if she's defeated in November. California deserves better. As the result of decades of bone-headed "feel good" liberal policies, the state is circling the drain right now and if the US doesn't radically change course soon, the same fate awaits it. Getting idiots like Barbara Boxer out of the US Senate would be a big step in the right direction.

[cj3209]

It's time for Boxer to retire. CA needs new people and new ideas. Now if only Peolosi would do the same...

[Valorie Kleiman]

Barbara Boxer has been an amazing Senator, she was one of the few who could be counted upon to stand up against the Bush administration. I support her 1000%

[Dirk]

Let's just turn everything BACK over to the republicans. Then they'll see how difficult it is to fix the problems they created in the first place.

[gail byrne]

There are many centrist that don't follow party ideologues. My vote against Boxer is because she no longer represents my current concerns NOT because I'm a republican. It would behoove Republicans to remember this in presenting their canidate.

[Robert]

I never thought I'd say thist, but it's time to step aside, Senator Boxer. Do what Chris Dodd in did in CT and give another Democrat a chance at retaining the seat. There's no way that your base (that includes me) are voting for the same crop of Democrats who couldn't pass any badly-needed legislation despite having historical majorities in the Senate and House. What's the use of superior ideas if the Democratic Party can't execute? If nothing's going to get done anyway, then I at least want to enjoy lower taxes.

[cooperscopy]

It looks like Babbs may be the next dem to hit the dust, along with prince Harry Reid. No one is safe in this environment, and the new revelation sticking a dagger in the global warming theory will definitely hurt Boxer.....She has been a true believer on whole global warming cabal......read: Global Warming Hoax is dying.....at.....
http://cooperscopy.blogspot.com/

[Lou]

I am a Republican and I’ll say this, even though I wouldn’t vote for Diane Feinstein and don’t support a lot of her views, I respect her as a politician and the all the service she’s given California her whole life.  Boxer on the other hand is a complete waste of space politician.  As one of the previous posters noted regarding her rep in DC, I had friends who were aides and interns in DC for Democrats and Boxer does have a rep for being one of the worst Senators.  I remember calling both Feinstein and Boxer before the TARP vote.  I had a long intelligent conversation with the Feinstein aide regarding the capital markets, economic theory, the US debt problem, etc….  Really smart bright aide though unfortunately Feinstein voted for TARP.  Then I called Boxer’s office.  Talking to her aide about the TARP was like talking to a doorknob. 

[mario]

Time to jump ship MS. "Call me senater" it is more like senaturd! lol! you libaturds are dropping like flys, isn't it great! you people in CA need to rid yourself and the nation of jerks like boxturd and pigglosi. They have destroyed the nation! lol!

[Nagnag]

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

What has Boxer ever done for Southern California? NOTHING.

Hayakawa was more productive sleeping than Boxer's ever been.