Majority of California voters in new poll says Feinstein should resign

A poll released Monday found a majority of voters in California think Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) should resign. 

Sixty-three percent of California voters in the Inside California Politics/Emerson College survey said Feinstein, 89, should step down and allow California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of her term. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they believe Feinstein should remain in her seat and serve out her term. 

According to the same poll, Feinstein holds a 22 percent approval rating with voters. Forty-eight percent of voters surveyed said they disapprove of the job she is doing, while 31 percent say they are neutral. 

The findings come as Feinstein has faced questions about her health and ability to serve in the Senate. Feinstein was absent from the upper chamber for months after bouts with shingles and encephalitis earlier this year. The senator has also faced questions over reports of memory loss. The New York Times reported last month that Feinstein expressed confusion when Vice President Kamala Harris presided over the Senate to cast a tiebreaking vote. 

Some Democrats, including Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.), have called on Feinstein to resign. Feinstein announced in February she would not seek reelection in 2024 but will serve out the remainder of her term.

Feinstein’s retirement has opened the door to a crowded Democratic primary. The Inside California/Emerson College poll found 23 percent of registered Democratic voters said they support Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in the primary, while 22 percent back Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.). Ten percent of voters said that they support Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). Thirty-four percent say they are undecided. 

The poll released Monday was conducted June 4-7. The sample comprised 1,056 registered California voters, with a margin of error of 3 percentage points.