While most polls show a close contest in the Florida gubernatorial contest, a poll released Thursday finds the Republican governor beating the Democratic challenger with a lead outside the margin of error, while a proposal to expand medical marijuana continues to struggle.
The poll from the Florida Chamber of Commerce Political Institute shows Gov. Rick Scott with the lead over Democratic nominee former Gov. Charlie Crist. Taken by Cherry Communications, the poll of likely voters shows Scott ahead with 44 percent with Crist at 39 percent. Libertarian Adrian Wyllie takes 4 percent.
Based on the poll, early voters are breaking for the Republican. Almost half -- 47 percent -- of Floridians who have already voted cast their ballots for Scott while 42 percent chose Crist. The poll shows Scott leading with older voters and a gender gap, with women backing Crist and men supporting the Republican governor.
A poll from Quinnipiac University released earlier in the day showed Crist ahead 43 percent to 40 percent but it did show a gender gap, much like the one the Florida Chamber poll finds.
Voters are growing more confident in where Florida is headed, the poll shows, with 43 percent thinking the state is headed in the right direction while 38 percent think it is going the wrong way. A Florida Chamber poll taken last month had 44 percent thinking Florida was going down the wrong path while 40 percent thought it was headed the right way.
While the only poll that really matters is the one that takes place on Election Day, the Florida Chambers most recent poll shows Floridians are listening to the candidates and appear poised to keep Florida moving in the right direction, said Marian Johnson, the Florida Chambers senior vice president of political strategy.
While Scott is in good shape in the poll, Amendment 2, which would expand medical marijuana use in the Sunshine State, continues to struggle. The poll finds 55 percent of likely voters back Amendment 2 but 40 percent oppose it. To pass on the November ballot, 60 percent of voters need to support Amendment 2.
The other Republicans holding Florida Cabinet office are doing far better than Scott in the poll, routing their Democratic opponents. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is running over former DCF Secretary George Sheldon, getting 48 percent, while the Democrat takes 32 percent. State CFO Jeff Atwater gets 50 percent while Democrat William Rankin takes less than a third of those surveyed, pulling in 32 percent. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam takes 46 percent while Democrat Thad Hamilton musters up 30 percent in the poll.
The Florida Chamber is backing Scott, Bondi, Atwater and Putnam for second terms while opposing Amendment 2.
The poll of 508 likely voters was taken Oct. 27-29 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
