New poll has Filner maintaining lead over DeMaio

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, continues to hold a lead over Councilman Carl DeMaio in the race for mayor of San Diego, according to a poll released Monday.

The poll, conducted by Survey USA on behalf of 10News, showed that 47 percent of 601 likely voters preferred Filner to 40 percent for DeMaio. Another 13 percent were undecided.

Compared to last month’s poll, Filner lost three percentage points while DeMaio gained two.

The findings showed a wide gender gap between the two candidates. Filner led among women, 50 percent to 43 percent, while DeMaio had an advantage among men, 46 percent to 35 percent.

The survey also found that while the candidates were tied at 43 percent for voters under the age of 50, older voters preferred Filner by a 51-to-37 percent margin.

Filner also led by 5 percent among moderates, 13 percent among those who voted for Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher in the primary election, and 12 percent among those who voted for District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis in June.

The DeMaio campaign could point to two positive signs. The nearly one- quarter of those surveyed who have already returned ballots favored the councilman 47 percent to 42 percent.

Also, 46 percent of those included in the poll identified themselves as Democrats, 6 points higher than are registered in the city, according to figures from the county Registrar of Voters Office. Republicans were over- sampled by 3 percent.

The telephone canvassing was conducted Friday through Sunday.