New poll shows Taylor leading Lee

Analysis of the Oakland special mayoral election with 19 days to Election Day: Report: Former AC Transit GM is moonlighting in Oregon while still receiving controversial $500k salary in the East Bay

Don’t call it a comeback: Oakland mayoral candidate Loren Taylor has closed a significant gap with Barbara Lee, according to two recent polls.

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—A poll commissioned by an independent expenditure committee has Loren Taylor leading the Oakland special mayoral election over Barbara Lee, 45 percent to 40 percent.

The survey was conducted on March 17-20 by EMC Research, and includes telephone interviews with 400 likely voters.

The news comes days after Taylor’s campaign released internal polling that showed him trailing Lee, 45-41 percent, but in a nearly virtual tie, based on the poll’s margin of error.

After ranked choice voting tabulations are applied, Taylor leads Lee, 51-46, a virtual tie, according to the poll, based on the margin of error.

—Among the other findings:

• 79 percent of Oakland voters describe Oakland as “pretty seriously off on the wrong track.

• 17 percent believe Oakland is heading in the right direction.

• Top issues for voters: Public safety (42%), homelessness and housing insecurity (19%), and budget and fiscal mismanagement (10%).

• Former Mayor Sheng Thao is viewed unfavorably by 87 percent of voters.

—More inside:

• More Oakland special mayoral election analysis: Pair of polls may suggests some Lee supporters have gone shopping for candidates.

• Don’t allow candidates to be film while wearing goofy hats!

• Report: Controversy involving former AC Transit GM does not bode well for a struggling transit agency eyeing a large parcel tax next year.

• Supervisor conjures up the ghost of Castro Valley’s infamous and vehemently hated canoe sign.

• Campaign finance data for Wednesday.

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