Joe Garofoli | San Francisco Chronicle | May 15, 2022
… A similar enthusiasm gap story is unfolding in two Central Valley congressional districts, according to a survey that the left-leaning Courage California released this week. In the redrawn 21st Congressional District, where longtime incumbent Democrat Rep. Jim Costa is running for the first time, only 45% of Latino voters say they were “absolutely certain” they would vote, compared with 51% of Black voters, 58% of Asian American voters and 69% of white voters, according to the survey.
The Courage California poll also found that the economy was the No. 1 issue for those surveyed.
“I’m worried that (Democrats) are not paying enough attention to these congressional districts,” Irene Kao, the executive director at Courage California, told me. “What I’m really concerned about that is Democrats are going to pay attention to this too late, and by the time they do pay attention, it’s going to be through a lens that’s not particularly relevant or that doesn’t resonate with voters.”
The enthusiasm gap could hurt Democratic chances’ to flip two GOP-held House seats in Orange County, one in the Central Valley and another in Los Angeles County where Latinos hold a major share of the electorate.