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Politics

DeSantis Edges Out Putnam, Corcoran in Republican Gubernatorial Matchup

January 2, 2018 - 11:15am
Ron DeSantis, Adam Putnam and Richard Corcoran
Ron DeSantis, Adam Putnam and Richard Corcoran

With a new year comes a new poll suggesting Florida Congressman (and President Donald Trump’s hand-pick) Ron DeSantis has a slight edge over his possible Republican gubernatorial opponents.

A new poll from Remington Research Group found DeSantis -- who has not officially declared his candidacy for governor, yet -- besting Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam and Florida House of Representatives Speaker Richard Corcoran by several points.

DeSantis routes both Putnam and Corcoran in a hypothetical matchup, taking 28 percent of the vote to Putnam’s 25 percent.

Corcoran received only three percent of the Republican primary vote in the hypothetical robopoll matchup, while a significantly larger portion of voters -- 44 percent -- said they are undecided as to who they’d vote for in the GOP primary.

When the options were narrowed to two -- DeSantis and Putnam -- DeSantis once again narrowly took the lead over the state Ag Commissioner, taking 30 percent to Putnam’s 29 percent. 

The only other major declared candidate besides Putnam, former Sen. Jack Latvala, who resigned last month as a result of a sexual misconduct scandal, was not included in the poll. 

DeSantis has represented Florida’s 6th District in Congress since 2013 but widely flew under the radar until recent months when political insiders began speculating he would make a bid for Florida governor.

DeSantis’ first big brush with gubernatorial publicity happened last month, when President Donald Trump tweeted his support for DeSantis, a potential boon to the Congressman’s gubernatorial aspirations.

DeSantis and Trump had met several weeks prior aboard Air Force Once before Trump made a public appearance at a Pensacola rally supporting failed U.S. Sen. and alleged child molester Roy Moore. 

On Dec. 22, Trump publicly endorsed DeSantis for the state’s highest office, his first foray into Florida politics for the 2018 election cycle. 

“Congressman Ron DeSantis is a brilliant young leader, Yale and then Harvard Law, who would make a GREAT Governor of Florida,” Trump wrote. “He loves our Country and is a true FIGHTER!”

DeSantis had told Fox News he was thankful for the president’s support.

“I can tell you that when that tweet went out, the amount of buzzing on my phone from calls and texts, I thought the phone was malfunctioning or there was something going on,” DeSantis said of the endorsement. “When he tweets and he has 100 million people that are seeing that, it’s a really really big deal, so I really appreciate the kind words from the president.”
 
Though Trump’s approval numbers are low nationwide, the poll suggests voters keep his approval in mind when considering voting for Republican candidates for other jobs. Sixty-nine percent of voters said they would be more likely to vote for DeSantis based on Trump’s endorsement, while only 15 percent said they would be more likely to oppose him.
 
More than a third of poll respondents -- 36 percent -- self-identified as “Trump Republicans,” while another 31 percent said they were “Christian Conservatives.” Only 14 percent said they were traditional conservatives. The smallest number -- five percent -- identified as Tea Party Republicans. 
 
The poll, published by a group run by former Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz adviser and political consultant Jeff Roe, does not have any apparent or publicly known ties to any Florida gubernatorial candidates or campaigns. 
 
The poll of 1,423 likely 2018 Republican primary election was conducted Dec. 30-31 and has a margin of error is +/-2.6% with a 95% level of confidence.

To view the poll click here.

 

Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen

 

Comments

HE WILL DEFINITELY WILL WIN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

Adam Putnam is an economist but swamp-thing DeSantis is a lawyer. President Trump tweeted an Executive Order on 03/30/17 about Ron DeSantis and the Freedom Caucus - "The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!" Put swamp-thing DeSantis in the private sector - vote Putnam for Florida Governor.

Putnam and his family have used their connections to enrich themselves and their cronies. They dug the swamp. DeSantis went to Congress and turned down the insurance and pension, ust like he promised. He delivered on every conservative principle on whcih he ran. He will make a great Governor. Putnam is corrupt. See palmbeachpost.com/news/congressman-got-millions-land-deal/rD9barg56J6T1j2aBKvhoK/

My vote for RON DeSanti for governor of Florida. ...Yes!

I will vote for RON DeSanti for governor of Florida. ...

I'm torn. I don't know where we need Ron the most. He is doing such an important job in the Federal Government in supporting our President's agenda while exposing the deep state swamp, that I hate to lose him at that level. He will make a super Florida Governor as long as we can get someone with comparable dogged determination to "Make America Great Again" to fill his spot in the House of Representatives. Don't sweat the polls....the majority of Americans are supporting the Trump Agenda. Who in their right mind wants their taxes raised sky high and their freedoms taken away from them. We all know what the alternative has in store for us if they ever obtain power again. As during the election, Trump supporters try to avoid answering polls and if they do answer, they lie to avoid confrontation.

I wish Florida would get some better candidates.

I will support whoever IS NOT an Israel Firster. Do we always have to cater to the Zionists? Read your Bible and Chuck Baldwin's commentary on the Bible. I pray every day that Floridians/Americans will "see the light" and realize that War is the desire of the big bankers/industrial complex who make money while our beautiful, wonderful boys and girls are collateral damage. Quiz these candidates on their positions on Israel. In the meanwhile Palestinians are persecuted as Jared and his family profit from bldg in West Bank. "Thou Shalt Not Steal" Remember??

If you are not pro Israel then you must be pro murdering palestinians. Palestinians are not being persecuted. Please cite your sources for proof

Polls.(Slight edge)..LMAO...those polls aren't flip...polls said Hillary was to be elected ..& Pres.Trump ..WON.....Go for it Ron.DeSantis...same people that stayed out lime light & polls .for Pres.Trump....are Same ones backing you in a Vote for Governor.of Florida..... Ron Desantis...

Fake news - “Trumps approval rating is an an all time low” ! Do you ever tire of propaganda and bias! It’s no wonder most people do not believe “news”!

She didn’t write that they were at an all time low. Learn to read

I will vote for whatever candidate I believe will be toughest on immigration. With the influx of Puerto Ricans that don't speak English and don't add much to our well being we do not need any more people that can not take care of themselves. More than 3 months after Maria hit the island more than half of Puerto Rico still has no power. Probably because they didn't have it to begin with.

Someone's a racist.

At least the Puerto Ricans are Americans and not illegals

Time for a decent party of Lincoln Republicans that actually care about our country, it's people, and it's future - and actually have an intellectual and historical basis for making common sense. Trump/DeSantis fail the test. They risk it all.

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