In Quinnipiac Polls released just 48 hours before the election, Democratic nominees for governor and U.S. Senator from Florida both held seven-point leads over their Republicans opponents.
In the race for the governorship, Democrat and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum led Republican former Rep. Ron DeSantis by 50 to 43 percent among likely voters. The margin of error was 3.5 percent.
Quinnipiac had similar findings in the Senate race, showing incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson leading Republican Gov. Rick Scott by 51 to 44 percent statewide. The margin of error was 3.5 percent.
These figure represent a dramatic shift from polls over the past month. Although Gillum has led almost consistently since winning the Democratic nomination in August, his lead over DeSantis in any poll has never been more than 4 percentage points. Nelson also has held a small lead in many polls, but Scott has pulled ahead in a few surveys.
The Quinnipiac survey was conducted as former President Barack Obama was arriving in the Sunshine State to campaign for the Democratic ticket. President Donald Trump has made five appearances on behalf of Republicans DeSantis and Scott.
“I don’t believe either poll,” Matt Walsh, publisher of the Florida Observer and the Jackson Daily Record, told Newsmax, “In each of the past two gubernatorial and presidential elections, the difference between the winner and loser has been one percentage point. Florida is a microcosm of the U.S. If those two Democrats are up by seven percentage points, it would indicate the so-called ‘blue wave.”
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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