A new poll shows President Barack Obama is upside down in Florida while U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., starts off with the lead over two Democratic rivals as he looks ahead to running for a second term in 2016.
Public Policy Polling (PPP), a firm with connections to leading Democrats, released a poll Tuesday which shows a majority of Florida voters -- 54 percent -- disapprove of Obamas performance in the White House. Despite carrying the Sunshine State in both 2008 and 2012, only 39 percent of those surveyed approve of Obama.
Rubios performance in Washington is approved by 44 percent of those surveyed while 41 percent disapprove of it. A majority of those surveyed -- 53 percent -- think Rubio should not run for the presidency in 2016 but 32 percent say he should launch a presidential bid.
The poll shows Rubio starts off his efforts for a second term in 2016 with the lead over two potential Democratic rivals. Rubio bests U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), 47 percent to 43 percent. When pitted against U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., Rubio takes 46 percent of those surveyed to the Democrat's 41 percent.
Murphy, a freshman in Congress, is largely unknown across Florida, with 77 percent of those surveyed not sure what they think about him but 12 percent see him as favorable while 11 percent view him as unfavorable.
Wasserman Schultz is upside down in the poll. Barely a quarter of those surveyed -- 26 percent -- see her as favorable while 34 percent view her as unfavorable. But, despite her high profile as chairwoman of the DNC, 40 percent of Florida voters remain undecided about her.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., now in his third term, is in solid shape in the poll, with 39 percent approving of him and 33 percent disapproving. Nelson does not face voters again until 2018.
The poll of 818 likely Florida voters was taken Sept. 4-7 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
