These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
Florida Senate: Rubio 45%, Meek 25%, Crist 22%
Monday, March 22, 2010
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio for now runs well ahead in a three-way race for the U.S. Senate in Florida, should Governor Charlie Crist decide to run as an independent.
The first Rasmussen Repots telephone survey of a potential three-candidate Senate race finds Rubio earning 42% support from likely voters in the state. Democrat Kendrick Meek picks up 25%, and Crist runs third with 22%. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided.
Rubio gets 53% of the male vote, while female voters are more evenly divided among the three candidates.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of Republicans favor Rubio in a three-way contest, while 20% of GOP voters prefer Crist. But Crist also earns 21% Democratic support. A solid plurality (47%) of voters not affiliated with either party favor Rubio.
Crist was the early favorite in the state's Republican Senate Primary, but since December Rubio has moved dramatically ahead in large part because of conservative dissatisfaction with the governor's embrace of President Obama's economic stimulus plan. Last month , Rubio lengthened his lead over Crist to 18 points, 54% to 36%.
Rasmussen Reports will release new numbers on the primary contest tomorrow, and it will be interesting to note if Rubio has lost any ground due to recent questions about his office expenditures while in the state legislature.
Florida Republicans won't decide on a Senate candidate until their August 24 primary, but some are already suggesting that Crist, who opted not to run for reelection as governor this fall, run as an independent instead. Crist insists he intends to remain in the race as a Republican. Another option for the Governor would be to drop out of the race now and focus on a 2012 Senate campaign.
Longtime Pennsylvania GOP Senator Arlen Specter switched parties last spring just after a Rasmussen Reports poll showed him trailing conservative challenger Pat Toomey by 21 points in a state Republican Primary match-up.
Drawing the ire of party conservatives because he was one of three Republicans who voted for Obama's stimulus plan, Specter acknowledged becoming a Democrat in part out of fear of losing the party primary.
Both Crist and Rubio hold solid leads over Meek in regular two-way Senate match-ups . New findings on these match-ups will be released later this week.
Crist is viewed very favorably by 13% of voters in the state and very unfavorably by 14%.
For Rubio, very favorables are 24% and very unfavorables 14%.
Twelve percent (12%) have a very favorable opinion of Meek, while 20% view him very unfavorably.
The numbers for all three candidates are little changed from a month ago. At this early stage of the campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the very favorable and very unfavorable figures more significant than the overall favorability totals.
Forty-five percent (45%) of Florida voters approve of Crist's performance as governor, down seven points from last month. This number includes 14% who Strongly Approve. Fifty-four percent (54%) disapprove of the job he is doing, with 19% who Strongly Disapprove.
Rasmussen Reports also has recently surveyed Senate races in Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Georgia, Illinois , Indiana , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maryland , Missouri, Nevada , New Hampshire , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Connecticut , Pennsylvania , Oklahoma , Ohio , Oregon , Washington and Wisconsin .
In 2008, Rasmussen Reports projected nationally that Obama would defeat John McCain by a 52% to 46% margin. Obama won 53% to 46%. Four years earlier, Rasmussen Reports projected the national vote totals for both George W. Bush and John Kerry within half-a-percentage-point.
In Florida, the final Rasmussen Reports 2008 poll showed a toss-up with John McCain 50% of the vote and Barack Obama with 49%. Obama won the state 51% to 49%. In 2004, the final Rasmussen Reports poll showed George W. Bush leading John Kerry 50% to 47%. Bush won 52% to 47%.
In the 2006 race for U.S. Senate, Rasmussen polling showed Bill Nelson defeating Katherine Harris 54% to 37%. Nelson won 60% to 38%. In the governor's race that year, the final Rasmussen poll showed Crist with an eight-point advantage over Jim Davis, 50% to 42%. Crist won by seven, 52% to 45%.
In the 2004 Senate race, Rasmussen polling showed Mel Martinez leading 49% to 47% over Betty Castor. Martinez won 49% to 48%.
See all Rasmussen Reports 2008 state results for president , Senate and governor . See 2006 results for Senate and governor. See 2004 state results for president .