Raleigh, N.C. – PPP’s newest Florida poll shows that the race is a toss up. Despite having an approval rating of only 39% with 48% disapproval, incumbent Governor Rick Scott is tied with possible Democratic candidate and former Republican governor Charlie Crist at 42% apiece. Helping Scott is the fact that Crist is also underwater with a 32% favorable rating and 48% unfavorable. However, Crist leads Scott amongst moderate voters 44% to 36%. 19% of people that identify as very liberal are undecided, showing room for the race to break in Crist’s favor.
Scott fares slightly better against the other possible Democratic candidate, Nan Rich, whom he leads by 6 points at 40% to 34%. The 25% of voters that are still not sure who they would vote for in that match-up reflects the general lack of knowledge voters have about Rich. Almost three-quarters of voters do not have an opinion one way or the other on her. Among the voters that do, 10% have a favorable view and 16% unfavorable. Just like Crist, Rich leads Scott among moderates with 39% to Scott’s 30%.
“Rick Scott’s early ad blitz has taken a big toll on Charlie Crist’s image in Florida,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Although Scott himself remains unpopular, he’s driven Crist’s negatives high enough to make this into a toss up race.”
Floridians slightly approve of their Senators’ performance, as Bill Nelson’s approval rating is at plus-7 (39/32) and Marco Rubio’s is at plus-5 (45/40). In a potential 2016 Senate race, Rubio leads Debbie Wasserman Schultz 48% to 40%. A match-up between Wasserman Schultz and Allen West is a toss-up at this point with West taking 41% to Schultz’s 40%.
Amendment 2, allowing for the medical use of marijuana in the state, picks up overwhelming support amongst voters, as 66% say they would vote for it, while only 25% say they would vote against the amendment. Unsurprisingly, the amendment garners the least amount of support amongst the oldest voters. Those older than 65 support it at a 58% rate, ten points lower than any other age bracket. Republicans are pretty split on the issue, with 44% saying they would vote for and 42% against.
PPP surveyed 672 registered voters from June 6th to 9th. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.8%. 80% of interviews for the poll were conducted over the phone with 20% interviewed over the internet to reach respondents who don’t have landline telephones.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 41%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 53%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Rick Scott’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .39%
Disapprove…………. .48%
Not sure …………….. .12%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Charlie Crist?
Favorable…………… .32%
Unfavorable ……….. .48%
Not sure …………….. .19%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Nan Rich?
Favorable…………… .10%
Unfavorable ……….. .16%
Not sure …………….. .74%
Q5 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Charlie
Crist, who would you vote for?
Rick Scott……………………………………………….. 42%
Charlie Crist ……………………………………………. 42%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q6 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Nan
Rich, who would you vote for?
Rick Scott……………………………………………….. 40%
Nan Rich………………………………………………… 34%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 25%
Q7 Do you approve or disapprove of Attorney
General Pam Bondi’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 29%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 29%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 42%
Q8 If the candidates for Attorney General were
Republican Pam Bondi and Democrat George
Sheldon, who would you vote for?
Pam Bondi ……………………………………………… 38%
George Sheldon………………………………………. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 27%
Q9 If the candidates for Attorney General were
Republican Pam Bondi and Democrat Perry
Thurston, who would you vote for?
Pam Bondi ……………………………………………… 40%
Perry Thurston………………………………………… 33%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 28%
Q10 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Bill
Nelson’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 39%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 29%
Q11 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Marco Rubio’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 45%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 15%
Q12 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Debbie Wasserman Schultz?
Favorable…………… .27%
Unfavorable ……….. .32%
Not sure …………….. .41%
Q13 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Allen West?
Favorable…………… .31%
Unfavorable ……….. .25%
Not sure …………….. .44%
Q14 If the candidates for Senate in 2016 were
Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Debbie
Wasserman Schultz, who would you vote for?
Marco Rubio ………. .48%
Debbie Wasserman
Schultz………………..40%
Not sure …………….. .12%
Q15 If the candidates for Senate in 2016 were
Republican Allen West and Democrat Debbie
Wasserman Schultz, who would you vote for?
Allen West………….. .41%
Debbie Wasserman
Schultz………………..40%
Not sure …………….. .19%
Q16 Amendment 2 would allow the medical use of
marijuana for individuals with debilitating
diseases as determined by a licensed Florida
physician. If the election was today, would you
vote for or against Amendment 2?
For ………………………………………………………… 66%
Against…………………………………………………… 25%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q17 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 46%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 47%
Someone else / Don’t remember ……………….. 7%
Q18 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 22%
Moderate………………………………………………… 28%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 25%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 15%
Q19 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%
Q20 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 38%
Republican……………………………………………… 37%
Independent / Other…………………………………. 25%
Q21 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 13%
White …………………………………………………….. 68%
African-American …………………………………….. 14%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%
Q22 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 10%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 20%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 28%
Q23 Mode
Phone ……………………………………………………. 80%
Internet ………………………………………………….. 20%
