Alan Grayson Can Pull 'Major Upset' Over Patrick Murphy, GOP Pollster Notes

Republican pollster Vox Populi Polling released a poll on Friday looking at the Democratic primary to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in 2016. Currently running for the Republican presidential nomination, Rubio has said he will not run for a second Senate term. 

The poll has U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., taking 34 percent while U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., pulls 24 percent. But those numbers change when Democrats learn more about the candidates, giving Grayson 56 percent while Murphy takes 21 percent in that scenario. This includes learning more about their positions on the budgets and Murphy being a former Republican. 

“Marco Rubio stepping down from the U.S. Senate to run for president ensures that the race to replace him in 2016 will be one of the most contested in the country," said Vox Populi Polling Pollster Brent Seaborn. “Democrats will have a tough primary on their hands if Reps. Grayson and Murphy run against each other. As voters learn more about the two candidates, Grayson is well-positioned to pull off what would be a major upset to Democrats."

Both candidates are largely unknown with 42 percent not familiar with Grayson and 47 percent not familiar with Murphy. 

The poll of 717 likely Florida Democratic primary voters was taken from June 15-17 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percent.