Charlie Crist’s fan is providing a little wind to his back with voters, says a new Gravis Marketing poll.
Democrat Crist now has a two-point lead, 44-42 percent, over incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Scott, the Winter Springs-based pollsters found.
In addition, the clash over Crist’s fan โ where Scott refused to take the stage for seven minutes at a televised debate โ is having an effect among likely voters
Gravis found that with many of those who watched the Oct. 15 debate, the fan hubbub changed their minds, giving the edge to Crist.
Doug Kaplan, Gravis managing partner, told the Orlando Sentinel that the fan definitely โhurt Scott.โ
The survey of 861 likely voters, taken Oct. 22-24, used an automated phone system. The results have a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.
Pollsters also found backing for Amendment 2 continuing to drop, with 50 percent approving and 42 percent against.
Amendment 2 seeks to legalize medical marijuana and needs 60 percent voter approval to pass. “Medical marijuana is done,” Kaplan added. “It will not pass.”
In hypothetical matchups for the 2016 presidential race, former Gov. Jeb Bush leads former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by a single point, 46 to 45 percent.
Clinton also holds a 2-point lead over U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and leads seven points over U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
Although Gravis weighted results towards Republicans, older voters and more white voters than in Floridaโs registered voter rolls, Kaplan told Sentinel reporter Scott Powers that the sampling accurately reflects likely voter turnout compared to previous elections.
