WASHINGTON — A substantial majority of Californians feel that Sen. Dianne Feinstein is no longer fit for the job because of her recent declining health, and more voters believe she should resign than support her staying in office, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.
Feinstein, 89, returned to Washington, D.C., in early May after months away recovering from shingles. Her absence caused heartache among fellow Democrats who hold a slim majority in the Senate, making tasks such as confirming judges harder.
The state's senior senator has already said she would not seek reelection in 2024, when her term ends. The race to replace her is a close contest, with support for two Democrats, Reps. Katie Porter of Irvine and Adam B. Schiff of Burbank, and the one Republican, Eric Early, bunched tightly together among likely voters. A third Democrat, Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland, lags behind.
