Here’s a preview of the upcoming 2018 races in Florida:
A new poll released by Gravis Marketing on Tuesday morning, give incumbent Senator Bill Nelson a strong chance for reelection in 2018 against two high profile Republican challengers, Governor Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Nelson, who consistently polls as the most popular lawmaker in the state, holds a 13 point lead over Scott with a margin of 51% to Scott’s 38% with 11% undecided. The Governor is on the record entertaining a possible run against Nelson. The 74 year old incumbent has said he’ll “run like there’s no tomorrow if he does.
Nelson holds a larger lead over the Attorney General bringing in 35% to Nelson’s 50% with 15% undecided. Bondi’s next move has been more difficult to forecast. She has been rumored for a position in the Donald Trump administration but with slots being filled, Drug Czar is the only opening where there could be a place for her.
Other notable results included a 51% approval rate for President Barack Obama and a 41% approval rate by voters concerning the election of President-elect Donald Trump.
Florida Governor Rick Scott’s approval rate came in at 38%, with 45% disapproving and 17% unsure as he enters the 7th year of his administration.
Gravis took a look at the upcoming Governor’s race as well:
Gravis recently acquired the excellent Orlando Political Observer site, which first reported the poll. Looking at the 2018 governor's race, Gravis found potential Democratic candidate John Morgan, the trial lawyer and medical marijuana advocate, edging Republican Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, 39 percent to 35 percent. Curiously, it also tested outgoing Republican U.S. Rep. David Jolly for governor, finding the Pinellas congressman trailing 31 percent to 42 percent, and found Morgan leading CFO Jeff Atwater, 41 percent to 42 percent.
Morgan, who appears constantly on TV and billboards, presumably is much better known across Florida than Jolly, Putnam, or Atwater. Gravis also looked at Democratic U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham of Tallahassee, finding the daughter of former Sen. Bob Graham leading Putnam 37 percent to 34 percent, Bondi 44 percent to 36 percent, and Jolly 40 percent to 29 percent.
After the past election, especially since Gravis is a GOP poll, I’ll take the polling numbers with a grain of salt. Nelson is already gearing up for re-election and the Governor race is sure to be an expensive and nasty race. Stay tuned. Click here if you want to donate and get involved with Nelson’s re-election campaign.