Field Poll–Californians Believe Terror Attack ‘Very Likely’

According to a new Field poll taken roughly one month after the December terrorist attack in San Bernardino in which 14 people were massacred and another 20 wounded, 33% of California voters believe it very likely that a terrorist attack will occur in the state in the near future, a 50% increase from 2002, when only 21% felt that way. Thirty-eight percent of respondents thought future terrorist attacks were somewhat likely, with 26% believing attacks in the state were not likely.

Republicans were twice as likely to view an attack as very likely, with 52% agreeing, while only 25% of Democrats echoing that sentiment.

Only 21% of respondents felt very confident that the CIA, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies could prevent a terrorist attack, with only 10% of Republicans agreeing as opposed to 28% of Democrats. Fifty-five percent of voters feared the government’s anti-terror efforts might infringe on their freedoms and personal liberties.

Fifty-one percent of respondents opposed sending American ground troops to fight Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria, with 37% in favor of such a move; 54% of republicans felt the U.S. should send the troops, but only 28% of Democrats agreed.

Californians are less supportive of sending ground troops to fight Islamic State than other Americans; an early December CNN/ORC poll found that for the first time, a majority of respondents favored sending troops to fight ISIS, as 53% said the U.S. should send ground troops.