SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom is California's most popular high-profile politician, but that could be tested by voter concerns over his ability to handle the state's estimated $22.5 billion deficit, according to a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.
The findings provide a "warning signal" to Newsom about the fragility of his political standing among California voters, said Mark DiCamillo, director of the poll.
"It's true of every governor: When you start having to cut back on the budget, that's usually a time when voters get more critical of you," said DiCamillo, who has surveyed public opinion in the state for four decades. "Now, we haven't gotten there yet. But that's why we say there's clouds on the horizon."
