With Dem Support, Charlie Crist Leads New Poll

On Tuesday, Public Policy Polling (PPP) released a new poll showing that Gov. Charlie Crist, an independent candidate in the race for the U.S. Senate election, leads the race. Crist came in with 35 percent support while former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the likely Republican candidate, pulls second at 29 percent and U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, a Democrat, places a distant third with 17 percent.

When Meek is replaced by primary rival Jeff Greene, Crist has an even larger lead. Crist takes 38 percent while Rubio remains at 29 percent. Greene trails behind Meek with 13 percent.

Crist is winning a plurality of independents and -- bad news for Meek and Greene -- the Democrats. With weeks to go until the primary, both Greene and Meek remain unknown tomore than 50 percent of Floridians, and Crist has filled the void.

Crist has become the de facto Democratic nominee and that's where most of his support is coming from, argued PPP.

The poll of 900 Floridians taken between July 16-18 has a margin of error of +/- 3.26 percent.