POLL: ARNOLD'S LEAD IS GROWING GOVERNOR WOULD BEAT ANGELIDES, SURVEY INDICATES.

Byline: STEVE GEISSINGER Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO -- Making up ground with previously disgruntled voters, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's lead against his Democratic challenger Phil Angelides has widened, according to a poll released Thursday.

Buoyed mostly by gains among moderates and independents, Schwarzenegger leads Angelides 44 percent to 37 percent, according to a poll by San Jose State University's research institute.

The poll, the first since Angelides won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in June, found that while Angelides' support has stalled, Schwarzenegger gained 4 percentage points since the institute's March poll.

``The governor has improved his standing among the moderates and independents who provide the swing votes in California elections,'' said poll director Melinda Jackson. ``The Democrats and liberals still don't like him (Schwarzenegger), but he has firmed up and expanded his base.

``If he maintains this course, he doesn't leave Angelides much room to grow.''

Schwarzenegger's gain after voters rejected his government-reform measures in a special election last year has been driven largely by independents, moderates, men, San Joaquin Valley voters, whites and conservatives, according to the poll.

Those sectors reacted positively to the bipartisan pact between the governor and the Democrat-dominated Legislature to place a $37 billion public-works bond on the November ballot, to the state's improved economy, and to an early compromise on a $131 billion state budget.

Also figuring in the mix was Schwarzenegger's decision to assign a small number of California National Guard troops to help patrol the Mexican border.

Among independents, Schwarzenegger is leading 58 percent to Angelides' 31 percent; among moderates, he leads 50 percent to 36 percent.

Katie Levinson, director of communications for Californians for Schwarzenegger, hailed the poll.

``Californians appreciate the governor's optimistic and positive vision for moving the state forward and are rejecting Phil Angelides' negativity and pessimism,'' she said.

But Nick Papas, a spokesman for Angelides' campaign, noted that Schwarzenegger's popularity still remains below a majority.

``Schwarzenegger and the George Bush team bombarded the airwaves with more than $10 million in attack ads in the days after the primary campaign, and still the governor, who enjoys universal name recognition, can't crack 50 percent,'' Papas said.

The poll of 891 Californians from June 26-30 also found 14 percent of voters remain undecided. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

sgeissinger(at)angnewspapers.com

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