Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., looks combative against U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., if he challenges the senator in 2018, a new poll shows.
Public Policy Polling (PPP), a firm with connections to prominent Democrats, released a poll showing Nelson with a slight lead over Scott in a potential 2018 match-up. Nelson takes 47 percent of voters while Scott pulls 43 percent, close to within the margin of error.
Both candidates do well with their base. Scott gets three-quarters of Republicans -- 75 percent -- when pitted against Nelson while the incumbent senator keeps 78 percent of Democrats behind him. Nelson takes 55 percent of voters outside the two major parties while Scott pulls 33 percent of them.
There have been reports in recent weeks that Scott is thinking of running for the Senate in 2018. Nelson flirted with challenging Scott last year but did not enter the contest, leaving former Gov. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., to challenge the governor. In 2012, Nelson won a third term in the U.S. Senate, beating then-U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, R-Fla.
The poll shows Scott is slightly underwater with 46 percent of those surveyed disapproving of him and 42 percent approving of him. Scott wins the approval of 69 percent of Republicans though a majority of independents -- 55 percent -- disapprove of him.
Despite having been in Florida politics for decades, more than a quarter of those surveyed -- 26 percent -- are not sure what they think of Nelson. The senator does well with his Democratic base, with 63 percent approving of him, but even within his own party, 28 percent of these voters are not sure what they think of Nelson. Half of independents -- 50 percent -- approve of Nelson while 30 percent disapprove of him.
The poll of 923 registered Florida voters was taken March 19-23 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
