According to a recent poll conducted by Berkeley IGS, approximately two-thirds of California voters hold the belief that US Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is no longer capable of serving in the Senate due to her ongoing health battles.
The survey, released on Thursday, revealed that around 67% of Californians agreed with the statement: "Feinstein's latest illness underlines the fact that she is no longer fit to continue serving in the US Senate."
Among those polled:
42% advocated for Feinstein's resignation from the Senate
27% stated she should remain in office and step down on her own terms
31% of voters remained undecided or withheld their judgment
The poll highlighted that a higher proportion of Democratic-leaning voters supported Feinstein's resignation compared to Republicans. The latter group is more likely to oppose her resignation since it would grant California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) the authority to appoint a replacement for her seat.
Feinstein's approval rating has also experienced a decline, with only 29% of voters in the state viewing her favorably. This represents an 8-point drop from February.
Additionally, over half of the respondents agreed with the statement that "Feinstein's health problems are creating serious problems for the Democratic Party's ability to get judicial nominees confirmed and get important legislation approved," while only 20% disagreed with the sentiment.
In response to claims by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that calls for Feinstein's resignation were rooted in sexism, the majority of voters expressed disagreement.
Notably, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced her opinion in a recent interview with US media, asserting Feinstein should not step down. Clinton argued that leaving her seat vacant would be detrimental, stating "we cannot afford to have her seat vacant."
Feinstein recently returned to the Senate earlier this month after a near three-month absence after a shingles diagnosis earlier this year. A spokesperson for the senator confirmed last week that her health complications stemming from shingles were more severe than initially disclosed.
The poll, conducted from May 17-22, involved 7,465 registered voters in California and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.