Democrats losing faith, Field Poll finds

More and more California voters want Gov. Gray Davis recalled, and even his fellow Democrats are beginning to despair over the governor's chances of holding onto his job, a Field Poll released today shows.

The survey indicates that 58 percent of likely voters favor ousting Davis in the landmark Oct. 7 recall vote, up from 51 percent a month ago. Even among Democrats, 27 percent say they'll vote to recall Davis and nearly a quarter of his fellow party members say the governor should resign.

Seventy percent of California voters disapprove of the job Davis is doing as governor, the lowest level a politician has recorded in the 56-year history of the Field Poll, said Mark DiCamillo, the poll's director. It matches President Richard Nixon's approval rating in August 1974, days before he resigned.

"These findings have to be very troubling for the governor," DiCamillo said.

"They're all trending down from what already were very poor numbers. It's a very serious situation for the governor."

"The news behind the numbers is even worse for the governor. Of the 58 percent who backed the recall, only 3 percent said they might change their minds by election day.

"The numbers are getting worse and worse and the opinions are firmly held," DiCamillo said. "It will be very hard to change people's minds."

Even Davis' backers have bad feelings about the governor's chances. Although 37 percent of the state's voters plan to oppose the recall, only 22 percent believe Davis will stay in office. "