WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama is way ahead of his rival Republican candidate Mitt Romney among California voters, a new poll has revealed.

According to the results of Field Poll, Obama leads Romney by 55 percent to 37 percent among likely California voters and also has a comfortable lead among white non-Hispanic voters 50-43 percent and males 51-38 percent, the two demographic groups where he is struggling in other states.

Obama also has a 66-22 lead over Romney among Hispanics, Politico reports.

The poll results showed that the only religious group that favours Romney by a wide margin are Protestants, while Catholics and other religions are for Obama 78 percent and 56 percent respectively. Romney scored a 33 percent rating amongst Catholics and 19 percent in other religions.

While Obama’s favourability ratings were found to be 58-39 percent, Romney by contrast, was seen underwater in his favourability rating with 36-55 percent.