The Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Vote Mama PAC, Voter Protection Project, and other national groups are approaching 1 million dollars in outside spending to propel Babb Tomlinson to the general election.
SACRAMENTO – A newly released poll of CA-06 voters shows Lauren Babb Tomlinson in a two-way race with Richard Pan for the 2nd place spot behind Rep. Kevin Kiley in the primary. The poll, which was conducted by EMC Research between May 3rd and 6th and sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Vote Mama PAC, and Voter Protection Project, finds that Babb Tomlinson, and Pan are tied after balanced message testing. Read the full memo here.
Key Takeaways
• Babb Tomlinson is the only candidate to gain votes after respondents hear positive messaging about all candidates (+4). After negative messaging on all candidates, she is the largest beneficiary, increasing by (+6) from the initial vote.
• Babb Tomlinson enters the race with lower name recognition than other top Democrats in the field, yet is competitive from the start. Despite Pan’s +23 name ID advantage, he only starts with a +7 lead over Tomlinson and shows no movement after voters hear his campaign message that is currently in mail and media.
• Ho, Guerrero, Stansfield, and Vandenberg are non-factors in the race and are at a distinct resource disadvantage compared to Babb Tomlinson and Pan.
• Groups supporting Babb Tomlinson’s campaign have committed over $900,000 in IE funds to uplift her message to June voters.
“Lauren Babb-Tomlinson is a fresh voice with a proven track record of delivering for the people, protecting Americans’ healthcare and fighting for basic human rights,” said Chris Taylor, Senior Campaigns Advisor at Congressional Black Caucus PAC. “Lauren is a uniquely qualified candidate who presents a distinct opportunity to protect Black representation in Congress.”
“When we heard Lauren talk about how being a mom is her superpower and how it’s taught her to lead with empathy and compassion, we knew immediately that she would be an excellent member of Congress. This new poll shows that when voters hear her message, they agree,” said Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder and CEO of Vote Mama PAC. “As Donald Trump tries to escape accountability by packing Congress with more MAGA enablers, it’s clear that Lauren will not only be the best candidate to win this seat for Democrats in November, she will be the best representative to deliver better policies for California families.”
“Lauren is the leader that this moment demands,” said Executive Director of VPP, Heather Grevenworth. “Unlike Richard Pan, Lauren won’t have to defend a toxic Sacramento voting record and a decade-plus-long career of accepting corporate cash. Pan is a flawed candidate who voters rejected last cycle when he ran for Sacramento Mayor; he didn’t even make the top-two runoff after being on the ballot in this region for over a decade. VPP is part of a strong and diverse coalition fighting to make sure we send Lauren, the strongest possible Democratic candidate, to win this seat come November. ”
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