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According to a USC/Los Angeles Times poll released last Sunday, Carly Fiorina is slowly gaining ground against incumbent Barbara Boxer in the California senatorial race. Boxer is up by five points: 43 to 38 percent, with 13 percent of voters remaining undecided. In spite of Boxer’s 2.3 million voter advantage over Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO’s approval ratings have risen by 2 points since September. To reach out to independents, Fiorina recently boosted campaign spending by $4 million. Out of the $4 million, $1 million was from her own personal funds, and $3 million came from the coffers of the National Republican Senatorial Committee—bringing total GOP contributions to her campaign to $8 million, the most that Republicans have ever spent in a single race for California senator. Meanwhile, Fiorina was admitted to a hospital in LA yesterday with an infection related to her reconstructive surgery following breast cancer last year. It remains to be seen how that will affect her campaign. Within her own progressive voter base, Democrat Barbara Boxer must address conflicting opinions of her performance as a “liberal crusader” in Congress over the past four decades. Stephen Zunes, a foreign policy expert among others, questions her unwavering support of the Israeli government, claiming that her views do not reflect the views of her constituents. My guest Deborah White says on domestic issues, “There’s no question that Sen. Boxer needs to sharpen her game: to more energetically tackle the issues (unemployment, foreclosures, failing schools, college affordability) touching the lives of everyday Californians.”

GUEST: Deborah White, Editor and Writer and Liberal Politics at About.com, which is a part of the New York Times company