Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is leading both potential Democrat challengers in this year’s governor’s race, a Chamber of Commerce survey released this week found.
The survey pitted the governor against the two leading Democrats in the primary race for governor in the Sunshine State: Rep. Charlie Crist and Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried.
DeSantis leads Crist in a head-to-head matchup by eight percentage points — 51 percent to Crist’s 43 percent. Fried, too, fails to best DeSantis, as the governor leads 50 percent to the Democrat’s 43 percent support:
NEW: Florida Chamber of Commerce
FL-Governor
(R) Ron DeSantis 51% (+8)
(D) Charlie Crist 43%(R) Ron DeSantis 50% (+7)
(D) Nikki Fried 43%DeSantis approval among Hispanics: 65/32
N=608 LV / 08/04-15 / MoE 4%https://t.co/7NU0JpVEPs
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) August 19, 2022
Notably, a recent survey from the Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) at the University of North Florida (UNF) provided similar results, showing DeSantis besting both of his potential challengers, leading Crist 50 percent to 42 percent and Fried 50 percent to 43 percent.
The UNF poll also showed Fried leading Crist in the Democrat primary 47 percent to 43 percent, but a Crist internal poll released this week showed Crist leading Fried, 52 percent to 36 percent:
2022 #FLGov Democratic Primary Poll:
Charlie Crist 52%
Nikki Fried 36%@GBAOStrategies/@CharlieCrist Internal ~ 800 LV ~ 7/27-7/31https://t.co/SWtZsU2Vag— PollTracker (@PollTrackerUSA) August 17, 2022
Both Democrat candidates have positioned themselves as the ultimate opposite of DeSantis, opposing parental rights in education and championing coronavirus lockdowns and mandates.
“I would be open to doing what scientists advise — not political scientists,” Crist said in May when asked if he would be open to imposing a statewide mask mandate in Florida — a move DeSantis avoided throughout the pandemic.
Florida’s primary takes place Tuesday, August 23.
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