Don't count out State Senator Tom McClintock just yet. The California Republican is leading his race to replace Rep. John Doolittle after all, according to a new poll conducted for his campaign.

The poll, conducted by Cal State-Sacramento Professor Val Smith for McClintock's campaign, surveyed 400 likely voters between 9/22-24 for a margin of error of +/- 4.9%. McClintock and retired Air Force officer Charlie Brown were tested.

General Election Matchup
(All / Ind)
McClintock.......47 / 37
Brown............39 / 48

The results, according to the polling memo, also show both candidates attracting 72% of their party base. Those numbers are consistent with the most recent public poll in the race, conducted at approximately the same time, by Research 2000, though Brown attracts a little more Democratic support than McClintock attracts Republican support in that poll.

In the Research 2000 poll, Brown also has a healthy 49%-33% lead among independent voters. But the survey for McClintock has the Republican leading, thanks in most part to the overwhelming number of Republicans in the district. Democrats may question whether McClintock's poll oversampled GOP voters in the district.