Voters will get a chance to see the one time that longtime U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Orlando, has agreed to sit with his Republican challenger, Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fort Myers --Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The televised forum being held at Nova Southeastern University in Davie comes as a new Rasmussen Reports poll on Monday showed the race tightening into a 46-45 contest, with Nelson holding the edge.
The poll comes a week after Rasmussen had Nelson up 10 percentage points. In a release with the new findings, Rasmussen offered the following comment: It is highly unlikely that public opinion shifted 10 points within a week. That suggests either last weeks results or this weeks may be an outlier.
Mack's Campaign Manager Jeff Cohen decried polls last week, which were weighed to reflect registered voter counts in Florida that lean Democratic. Instead, he said polls should tend toward voter turnout, which he expects will trend in favor of the GOP.
No such release accompanied the latest Rasmussen poll.
Debate facts:
The debate broadcast will be moderated by Michael Williams, anchor for WPTV NewsChannel 5, of West Palm Beach.
The panel of journalists who will question the candidates includes Anthony Man, political writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Lissette Campos, director of community affairs for ABC Action News/WFTS in Tampa; and Toluse Olorunnipa, state/politics reporter with the Miami Herald.
Where to watch:
Fort Myers: WBBH-TV 2 (NBC) / WZVN-HD 7 (ABC)
Gainesville: WCJB-TV 20 (ABC) / CW10
Jacksonville: FCN WTLV 12 (NBC) / WJXX 25 (ABC)
Miami: WTVJ 6 (NBC)
Orlando: WKMG 6 (CBS)
Panama City: WJHG 7 (NBC)
Pensacola: WEAR-TV 3 (ABC)
Sarasota: WWSB 7 (ABC)
Tallahassee: WCTV 6 (CBS)
Tampa: WFTS 28 (ABC)
West Palm Beach: WPTV 5 (NBC).
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
