Leading the Republican presidential field in the national polls and surveys of key states, businessman Donald Trump is headed to Florida this week. On Monday, the Trump campaign announced the candidate will be hitting the Sunshine State later in the week. Trump, who owns properties and occasionally resides in Florida, will be in Miami on Friday night for a rally at the Trump National Doral Club. On Saturday, Trump will head to the First Coast with a rally at the Jacksonville Landing at noon.
This is the latest sign that Trump intends to fight for Florida even as former Gov. Jeb Bush and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., are also gunning for the Republican nomination.
Earlier this month, Trump announced that he was naming Karen Giorno to lead his efforts in the Sunshine State. Next month, Trump will be appearing at the Republican Party of Florida’s (RPOF) Sunshine Summit in Orlando along with Bush, Rubio and nine other candidates running for the Republican nomination.
A new poll shows Trump continues to lead in the Sunshine State. The University of North Florida (UNF) released a poll to WJXT TV in Jacksonville which was published on Monday.
The poll of likely Florida Republican primary voters has Trump ahead with 22 percent followed by Dr. Ben Carson with 19 percent. While Carson has not confirmed he will be attending the Sunshine Summit, he will be coming to Florida in the first week of November with more than 10 stops across the state planned as he promotes his new book.
Rubio takes third in the UNF poll with 15 percent. Bush stands in fourth in the UNF poll at 9 percent.
The UNF poll of 641 likely voters in the Florida Republican primary was taken between Oct. 8 and 13 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.87 percent.
Trump will also be touring two states this week which hold early presidential nomination contests. On Monday, Trump will be in South Carolina which holds its primary after New Hampshire. On Wednesday, Trump will be in Iowa, home of the first caucus.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
