A new poll shows Marco Rubio will have a tough fight if he runs for a second term in the Senate.
While Rubio closed the door to running for a second term, pressure is building on him to run again. Republican leaders including presumptive presidential candidate Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and the NRSC have been pushing Rubio to seek another term.
But a poll released on Tuesday from Democratic aligned Public Policy Polling (PPP) threw cold water on Rubio’s chances. The poll found 51 percent of Florida voters think Rubio should not run for a second term while 39 percent want him to run again. Earlier this week, a poll from Mason Dixon found a plurality of Florida voters thinking Rubio should run for a second term.
“Marco Rubio’s image in Florida continues to be badly damaged in the wake of his failed presidential bid,” said Dean Debnam, the president of PPP. “If he runs for the Senate there’s a pretty good chance he’s going to suffer two political defeats in one year.”
Rubio gets bad marks in the poll. More than half of those surveyed--54 percent--disapprove of him while only 32 percent approve of him. Rubio is seen as favorable by 39 percent while 48 percent see him as unfavorable.
Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy edges Rubio in a potential November matchup, 44 percent to 43 percent. Rubio does better when Congressman Alan Grayson is the Democratic candidate, beating him 43 percent to 38 percent.
Murphy does better against two potential Republican candidates, leading businessman Carlos Beruff 43 percent to 31 percent and Congressman David Jolly 44 percent to 29 percent. Grayson leads Jolly 40 percent to 33 percent and is ahead of Beruff 41 percent to 32 percent.
Outside of Rubio, the candidates aren’t well known. Murphy is seen as favorable by 20 percent and unfavorable by 18 percent while 62 percent are not sure of him. Grayson is seen in a favorable light by 22 percent, unfavorable by 26 percent while 51 percent aren’t sure. Jolly is also not well known with 62 percent not sure of him while 19 percent see him as favorable and the same percentage view him unfavorably. Beruff is also largely unknown with 62 percent not sure of him, 24 percent seeing him as unfavorably while 14 percent view him as favorable.
Three Republican hopefuls--Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Congressman Ron DeSantis and businessman Todd Wilcox--were not included in the poll. Also left out was attorney Pam Keith who is running for the Democratic nomination.
The poll of 737 registered Florida voters was taken from June 2 through June 5 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percent.
Rubio has until June 24 to enter the Senate race.
