For most of the past year, you’ve seen some bold, daring political voices suggesting Donald Trump could compete strongly in California, win it outright, or at least force Democrats to spend money there.
January 7, Joseph Farah:
California may appear to be a safe state for any Democrat, but I’m not so sure. Remember who surprised everyone by winning the governorship of California? Arnold Schwarzenegger. So what? What do Schwarzenegger and Trump have in common? One word: CELEBRITY. Californians, more than residents of any other state, love celebrities. And, right now, who is the biggest celebrity in the world? Do I even need to answer that question?
March 18, California Political Review Publisher Jim Lacy appearing on Fox Business News’ Varney & Company: “There is a scenario whereby Donald Trump could put enough heat on the Democrats where they would have to compete in California.”
April 28, Mark Halperin on Morning Joe:
Joe Scarborough: No, no. He cannot make Hillary Clinton play defense in California. Let me just save them a lot of money right now.
Mark Halperin: I’m not sure that’s true…. Arnold Schwarzenegger, with celebrity and appeal that transcended, that was more about personality… I’m not predicting it, all I’m saying is watch and see what happens in the next couple days, to see if there is a possibility that Donald Trump could build a coalition in California.
Donald Trump at a Sacramento campaign rally, June 1: “Sacramento, we’re going to do something. Because I’m going to make a real run in California, all right? We’re going to work California hard!”
The news this morning:
The latest Field poll also finds Clinton holding a huge early lead over presumptive Republican Party nominee Donald Trump when all likely voters in this state are asked whom they would support in the November presidential election. More than twice as many Californians currently prefer Clinton (58 percent) over Trump (28 percent), although this thirty-point lead declines to twenty-four points when Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson’s name is also included in the presidential preference mix.
With Johnson in the mix, Trump has the support of… 26 percent.
In 2012, Mitt Romney won 37 percent in California.
Trump’s Polling in the High 20s in California