Republicans might actually have some hope of replacing Democrat Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate in 2016, according to a new poll.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D- Calif.) announced last month that she would not seek a fifth term, clearing the field for a wide open race. Though the seat skews heavily Democrat, a survey of 972 likely California voters by The Field Poll found that there is one Republican who could win the race to replace her — Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
About 49 percent of the likely voters said they would be inclined to vote for Rice.
The former Bush cabinet member even enjoys support among Democrats. An estimated 31 percent of Democratic voters would vote for Rice, according to the poll.
Rice is also the favorite among independent voters, women and non-Hispanic whites, with 54 percent of voters without a party preference or who support a minor party saying that they would be inclined to vote for her.
Among likely female voters, 52 percent said they would likely support Rice, who now teaches at Stanford University.
Rice would face the strongest opposition from Democrat Kamala Harris, the state’s attorney general and the first major player to announce her candidacy for the seat. Forty-six percent of voters would be inclined to vote for her, according to the poll, but 37 percent would not.
She does not enjoy bipartisan support. Only 10 percent of Republican voters would consider voting for Harris.
Unfortunately for Republicans, Rice has said that she has no desire to seek the office. If she holds to that, the GOP doesn’t have a lot of good backup options.
Phil Wyman, a former state senator, polls in second place for the GOP, according to the poll. But only 24 percent of voters said they would be inclined to support him.
