A new poll released Tuesday morning shows Mayor Buddy Dyer leading Republican challenger Paul Paulson by a margin of 49.7 percent to 30.5 percent in his quest for a fifth term as Orlando’s chief executive.
Polling firm St. Pete Polls concluded that UCF medical student “Sunshine” Lunda Grund has also garnered support to the tune of 5.8 percent in her quixotic no-party bid that has yet to gain much traction.
A scientific poll conducted Monday found 52.1 percent of registered City of Orlando voters had a favorable opinion of Mayor Dyer, whereas 33.3 percent view him unfavorably. Paulson — a veteran and businessman — had lower “unfavorables,” with 25.6 percent of respondents expressing a negative opinion, but the poll also found that voters were not as familiar with Paulson. Just 31.3 percent said they had a favorable opinion, while 43.2 percent said they were unsure.
The poll results come as welcome news for Dyer, a Democrat under fire from conservative quarters — especially from Paulson’s camp — for a now-infamous 17.7 percent property tax hike passed by the City Council earlier this year.
Dyer, for the most part, has been able to spin the move in his favor, saying the increases were necessary to keep pace with demands for municipal services in the ever-growing Central Florida city.
The new poll — which surveyed 323 voters via phone, claiming a 5.5 percent margin of error — also inquired into voters’ views on so-called Red Light Cameras, a hot-button issue in Orlando and around the the state.
Responding to the question, “Do you think that Orlando’s Red Light Cameras at city intersections should stay or be removed?” 47.3 percent said “Stay” while 42.8 percent said “Be removed.”
9.9 percent of respondents said they were unsure, meaning those numbers could still shift significantly before the November 3 municipal elections.
