Two Florida congressmen are running neck and neck in the Democratic primary to replace U.S Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., in 2016, a new poll shows.
On Monday, Mason-Dixon released a poll which finds U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., ahead of U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., by a whisker in the primary: 33 percent to 32 percent. But a plurality of those surveyed -- 35 percent -- remain undecided.
When U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla., is included in the mix, Murphy takes a narrow lead with 26 percent. Grayson is right on his heels with 24 percent while Graham pulls 11 percent. With Graham included, more Democrats are undecided, creeping up to 39 percent.
Graham’s name has been thrown into the Senate mix after the Florida Supreme Court struck down the current congressional districts and ordered the Florida Legislature to redraw the lines. Representing parts of conservative North Florida, Graham should see more Republicans in her district when the process is finished. In recent days, Graham has said her focus is more in winning a second term in the House.
Brad Coker from Mason-Dixon noted Graham was “significantly behind the already declared Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy" in the Democratic primary.
“It is apparent that most Florida Democrats statewide currently do not make the personal connection between her and her iconic father – former Governor and Senator Bob Graham,” Coker insisted on Monday. “Over the course of a campaign that would change, of course, and she certainly has great potential to become the heavy Democratic favorite over the next year. But she will have some work to do to get there.”
The poll of 500 Florida Democrats was taken from July 20-24 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
