Curt Clawson and Lizbeth Benacquisto Top Tier in CD 19 Poll

St. Pete Polls released a poll commissioned by St. PetersBlog on Tuesday which shows businessman Curt Clawson and Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, ahead of the rest of the Republican pack in the special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., in Congress. Radel resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.

Clawson leads the poll with 38 percent followed by Benacquisto with 32.4 percent. Former state Rep. Paige Kreegel stands in distant third with 8.5 percent. Michael Dreikorn garners 3.2 percent while Timothy Rossano lags behind with 1.3 percent; 16.7 percent are undecided.

The poll of 1,012 registered Republicans who say they plan to vote in the April 22 primary was taken on March 3 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

Whoever emerges in the Republican primary will be a heavy favorite to win the seat in the June 24 special general election over Democrat April Freeman and Libertarian Ray Netherwood.