With barely a week to go until the Florida presidential primary, a new poll shows U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is within “shooting distance” of Donald Trump in the Sunshine State. Rubio also has a lead in the bank with a clear edge with voters who have already cast their ballots.
Trump takes 38 percent in a poll from Monmouth University with Rubio in second with 30 percent. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who announced plans to open ten offices across the state on Friday, is in third with 17 percent. Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, garners 10 percent.
But 19 percent of those surveyed have already voted and they broke hard for Rubio. He takes 48 percent of early voters while 23 percent back Trump. Florida Republicans who haven’t voted yet go for Trump over Rubio, 42 percent to 26 percent.
When it becomes a two man race, Trump gets 47 percent while Rubio takes 45 percent. Trump does even better against Cruz, besting him 48 percent to 40 percent.
“Rubio is within shooting distance in his home state with a week to go in this volatile nomination contest,” said Patrick Murray,the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, on Monday. “It is telling, though, that Rubio is not even the clear victor in a direct face off with Trump. There goes the argument that Rubio would triumph if only it were a two person race.”
Most Republicans--57 percent of those surveyed--are firmly behind their candidate or have already voted while another 25 percent say they strong prefer their choice. But 19 percent of Florida Republicans are open to changing their views in the final days of the campaign.
Two-thirds of Trump voters--67 percent--say they are firmly behind their candidate while 59 percent of Kasich supports say that about the Ohio governor. Rubio is firmly supported by 55 percent of his backers while less than half of those who prefer Cruz--48 percent--say that about the Texas senator.
Rubio has the edge in South Florida, taking 41 percent while Trump garners 30 percent. But Trump doubles up Rubio in Central Florida 44 percent to 22 percent. Trump has a smaller edge in North Florida with 36 percent followed by Rubio with 32 percent.
Most Florida Republicans--75 percent--say they would back Trump over former U.S. Sec. of State Hillary Clinton in November
The poll of 403 likely Florida Republican primary voters was taken from March 3-March 6 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percent.
Recent polls have shown Trump in the lead in Florida, often by double digits though a poll from the Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) had him ahead of Rubio by 7 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
