Stem cell issue (in California) shows partisan division

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SACRAMENTO – Voters are sharply divided on a $3 billion bond issue on the November ballot to fund stem cell research, according to a statewide Field Poll.

The poll found that Proposition 71 has a slight lead, 45 percent to 42 percent, with a deep partisan split on funding the research that backers say could produce lifesaving medical breakthroughs but opponents say destroys human embryos.

Democrats support the bond measure 57 percent to 27 percent, while Republicans do not, with 31 percent favoring it and 59 percent opposed. Voters in other parties and nonpartisans favor the measure 48 percent to 43 percent.

The poll found that 40 percent of voters are aware of the controversial stem cell proposal in Proposition 71. Only 17 percent to 18 percent of voters were aware of three other health-related measures on the November ballot.


Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040815/news_1n15field.html