Businessman Donald Trump and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are ahead in Florida but they are hearing footsteps in the Sunshine State even as two Republican favorite sons falter.
On behalf of the One America News Network,Gravis Marketing released a poll of Florida voters Monday which shows Trump leading the crowded field of Republican presidential hopefuls. But Dr. Ben Carson, who moved to South Florida after ending his celebrated medical career, has surged into second place.
Trump takes 34 percent while Carson gathers 22 percent. Despite winning two terms in Tallahassee, former Gov. Jeb Bush stands in third with 15 percent.
The rest of the Republican candidates record single digits. Businesswoman Carly Fiorina and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, are knotted in fourth place with 6 percent each. Right behind them are U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, who pull 5 percent apiece.
Other Republican candidates lag in low single digits. Despite moving to the Panhandle after his 2008 presidential bid, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., gets 2 percent. Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., and Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis., take 1 percent each. So do two candidates who ran in 2012: former Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. Perry left the race on Friday while the poll was being taken. Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., former Gov. George Pataki, R-N.Y., and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., pull less than one-half of 1 percent each.
If the race comes down to the two Republicans who have won office in Florida, Rubio has the edge. In that scenario, Rubio takes 51 percent while Bush pulls 31 percent.
The poll of 891 Florida Republicans was taken Sept. 5-11 and had a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.
As he continues to weigh entering the presidential race, Vice President Joe Biden is gaining traction in the Sunshine State.
Clinton leads the Gravis poll with 42 percent but Biden pulls in 21 percent as he continues to leave the door open to a third try for the White House. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., takes third with 13 percent.
Other Democratic candidates are far less factors in Florida. Former Gov. Martin O’Malley, D-Md., gets 2 percent, while former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., pulls 1 percent. Former U.S. Sen. and Gov. Lincoln Chafee, D-R.I., takes less than one-half of 1 percent.
The poll of 693 Florida Democrats was taken from Sept. 5-11 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
