President Barack Obama would lose Florida if the presidential election were held today, a new poll found, the
St. Petersburg Times reported Monday.
A Sachs/Mason-Dixon poll found that only 34 percent of independent voters in Florida — usually the key to winning — approve of Obama's performance, and that either former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney or former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee would beat the president in Florida if the election were held today.
"If one of the top-tier Republicans gets the nomination, it will be a real
fight for Florida," said Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker.
The April 4-7 telephone poll found Romney slightly leading Huckabee among Republican primary voters, 23 percent to 18 percent.
They were trailed by business magnate Donald Trump with 13 percent, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich with 11, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty with 8.
"It's going to be a Romney state if Huckabee doesn't get in,'' said Coker.
Coker added that Pawlenty could be a factor if he does well in the earlier states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.
Pollsters surveyed 800 registered Florida voters and the margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
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