The new Public Policy Polling (D) survey of the California Senate race gives Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer a lead over her Republican opponent, former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. Though Boxer's own ratings remain only modest, Fiorina's are, nevertheless, even lower at the moment. 
 
 The worse news for Fiorina, though, is that slightly more voters prefer Boxer's hairdo. 
 
 The horserace numbers: Boxer 49%, Fiorina 40%. The survey of registered voters has a ±3.95% margin of error. In the previous poll from late May, two weeks before the Republican primary, Boxer was only edging Fiorina by 45%-42%. The TPM Poll Average gives Boxer a lead of 46.7%-42.7%. 
 
 Amusingly, the pollster also asked a question relating to Hairgate, Fiorina's open-mic moment from early June during which she made fun of Boxer's hair. Respondents were asked, "Do you have a higher opinion of Barbara Boxer's hair or Carly Fiorina's hair?" The result was Boxer 19%, Fiorina 14%, and 67% not sure. (The truly correct answer would have been for respondents to volunteer, "Who cares," but PPP is a robopoll.) 
 
 From the pollster's analysis: 
 
 California voters have mixed opinions about Boxer's job performance; 46% of voters disapprove of Boxer's work in Washington and 44% approve of the Senator, including 72% of Democrats and 40% of independents. Since launching her campaign, Boxer's approval ratings have jumped. Boxer has been able to reinstate faith in her staunch Democratic supporters and gain the support of doubtful independents. 
 
 
 
 Fiorina isn't seen favorably in the eyes of most Californians; 40% of voters have an unfavorable opinion of the Republican, 28% give her high marks and 32% have yet to form an opinion. Only 56% of Republicans support Fiorina and 25% are still unsure about their nominee. 
 
 Late Update: We asked PPP communications director Tom Jensen what the reasoning was behind the hair question. 
 
 "Well, because Carly Fiorina had insulted Barbara Boxer's hair. It was asked because of that. It's not something we would normally ask, but Carly Fiorina made Barbara Boxer's hair into a bit of an issue and it was something that got a week's worth of media coverage" 
 
 Why was the question phrased in the particular manner that it was, we asked? "I think the whole story was silly, so we asked a silly question. I mean we weren't trying to turn it into a really serious thing." 
 
 Jensen also pointed out that in January 2008 they asked South Carolina voters who was the sexiest presidential candidate, and also asked New Jersey voters last October whether then-Gov. Jon Corzine (D) was making an issue of his (eventually victorious) Republican opponent Chris Christie's weight, and whether Christie's weight was a legitimate issue. 
 
 "So what we have done is when we ask these appearance questions, most voters don't have much of an opinion," said Jensen, also adding: "Every now and then it's interesting to just throw it in there and see what response you get." ||||| California Senator Barbara Boxer and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina are battling over Boxer's Senate seat. But that's secondary to a more important question—one that an actual, reputable polling firm just asked Californians: Who has better hair? 
 
 Have you been paying any attention to the California Senate race? You should be! If you enjoy hating the world. Carly Fiorina, who used to be the terrible CEO of Hewlett Packard, until she was forced out, has decided to run for Senate as a Republican, based on her extensive lack of political experience and longtime commitment to not voting in any elections. The incumbent, Democrat Barbara Boxer is vaguely unpopular in California, due to Californians hating just about everything right now, and Fiorina has (had?) a chance to pull it out, after dispatching her primary opponent with a campaign ad featuring, I shit you not, demon sheep. 
 
 Anyway. Last month, as part of her campaign strategy to appear as childish and embarrassing as possible, Fiorina called Barbara Boxer's hair "so yesterday." I guess she meant it is old? Or old-fashioned, or something? Obviously, it was a trenchant comment. 
 
 And, obviously, we needed a poll about it. And it's more bad news for Carly: According to the Democratic polling firm Public Policy Polling, 19 percent of registered voters have a higher opinion of Barbara Boxer's hair, while only 14 percent have a higher opinion of Fiorina's (67 percent were "not sure," which just goes to show you how politically illiterate people are). Shall we check the crosstabs? I think we shall. 
 
 Young people preferred Barbara Boxer's hair by a wide margin, possibly casting into doubt Fiorina's contention that it is "so yesterday." 26 percent of registered voters between the ages of 18 and 36 had a higher opinion of Boxer's hair, while only three percent had a higher opinion of Fiorina's. 
 
 Registered voters between the ages of 30 and 45 were split (ends!) over the hair question, with 21 percent having a higher opinion of Boxer's and 19 percent having a higher opinion of Fiorina's. 
 
 Barbara Boxer's hair scored particularly well among Asians and Hispanics. 29 percent of Asian registered voters and 22 percent of Hispanic registered voters preferred it to Fiorina's. 
 
 African-Americans were the only ethnic group that had a higher opinion of Fiorina's hair: 20 percent of African-American registered voters chose Fiorina's hair over Boxer's. 
 
 Moderate voters—the key in any election—preferred Boxer's hair. Twenty-five percent of moderate voters had a higher opinion of Boxer's hair, while only 12 percent had a higher opinion of Fiorina's. 
 
 Oh, and also, uh, Boxer led Fiorina in the polls, 49 percent to 40 percent. But whatever. 
 
 [TPM; PPP]
– Incumbent Barbara Boxer is leading former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina in the Senate polls—but infinitely more importantly, so is Boxer’s hair. Public Policy Polling included a question about the rivals’ hairstyles, following Fiorina’s remark that Boxer’s hair is “so yesterday,” and found that 19% of registered voters actually like Boxer’s hair better. Only 14% prefer Fiorina’s, and 67% “were ‘not sure,’ which just goes to show you how politically illiterate people are,” writes Max Read on Gawker. Proving Fiorina’s catty remark even less accurate, 26% of young people preferred Boxer’s hair, while 3% liked Fiorina’s better. The question is “not something we would normally ask, but Carly Fiorina made Barbara Boxer's hair into a bit of an issue,” the PPP communications director tells Talking Points Memo. “I think the whole story was silly, so we asked a silly question.” Click here to hear from one writer who doesn't think it's so silly.