Rep. Adam Schiff has a slight edge on Rep. Katie Porter in the race to replace longtime California Sen. Dianne Feinstein in the U.S. Senate, according to a new UC-Berkeley/LA Times poll.

In the poll of 6,030 California voters, Schiff is ahead with 20%, followed by Porter with 17% and Rep. Barbara Lee tying for third at 7% with Republican James Bradley.

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Adam Schiff is leading the race to replace Senator Dianne Feinstein in next year's election

  • Schiff has 20% of the vote, followed by Rep. Katie Porter at 17%, according to a new UC-Berkeley/LA Times poll

  • About a third of California voters are undecided, per the survey

  • Feinstein, 90, plans to serve out her term, which expires in Jan. 2025

Sixteen candidates are in the running to replace Sen. Feinstein, 90, who has served in the Senate since 1992. While Feinstein has drawn bipartisan criticism over the past year for medical issues that have prevented her from performing her duties, she has said she will serve out her term through January 2025.

The field to replace her is almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, most of whom are unknown and polling in the low single digits or less.

Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll Director Mark DiCamillo said “majorities of likely voters are unable to voice an opinion about any of the other contenders” because they lack name recognition, he wrote in a note that accompanied the poll results.

Schiff has 75% recognition: 43% view him favorably and 32% unfavorably. Porter has 57% recognition: 38% view her favorably and 19% unfavorably.

The top two candidates with the most votes in the March 5 primary will compete in the November 5, 2024 General Election.

About a third of voters are currently undecided, according to the poll.

If Feinstein is unable to complete her service, the majority of voters in the Berkeley poll would like California Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint someone who can run for a full term instead of only finishing Feinstein’s run, per the survey.

If Newsom needs to appoint a successor, it would divide the governor’s supporters because all three frontrunners to replace Feinstein are well-liked Democrats, poll co-director Eric Schickler said in a statement.