FL-Gov: GOP Brawl Catapults Sink Into Lead

[ccharles000]

PPP (pdf) (7/16-18, Florida voters, 3/5-8 in parentheses):

Alex Sink (D): 36 (NA)
Rick Scott (R): 30 (NA)
Bud Chiles (I): 13 (NA)
Undecided: 22 (NA)

Alex Sink (D): 37 (31)
Bill McCollum (R): 23 (44)
Bud Chiles (I): 14 (NA)
Undecided: 26 (25)
(MoE: ±3.9%)

This is a dramatically different race from the last time that PPP polled it in March: Rick Scott arrived on the right, and unleashed a multi-million dollar barrage of ads against Bill McCollum, and Bud Chiles plunked his rather small, beat-up flag in the middle, perhaps hoping to be the only survivor after everyone else nuked each other. If PPP's new poll numbers are any indication, things aren't going the way either of them planned: the civil war between Scott and McCollum seems to be irreparably damaging them, and Sink, rather than Chiles, seems to be the main beneficiary so far.

Scott and McCollum -- who both seemed extremely personally unlikeable even before their primary began -- seem to have reduced each other to off-the-charts levels of toxicity. Scott's favorables are 23/41, while McCollum's are an unbelievable 16/51 (levels previously reserved only for Dick Cheney and David Paterson). Sink's the only person in positive territory, probably by virtue of being less-known, at 24/22. A post-primary unity rally between Scott and McCollum's supporters seems unlikely to succeed: PPP also rolled out numbers yesterday showing that among Scott supporters, McCollum's favorables are 7/65, and among McCollum supporters, Scott's favorables are 4/62. With a late primary (Aug. 24), there would be little time for healing left anyway. If these numbers hold, despite a humdrum campaign so far, Alex Sink could wind up being the Democrats' second luckiest sucker in November (as no one can top Harry Reid).

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/7238/flgov-gop-brawl-catapults-sink-into-lead

[Alexander]

1. I figured the FL Governor's race was a lost cause.

Nice to know this race is winnable.

[d_b]

2. nice

whoops, meant to respond to op.

[ellenfl]

3. cautiously optimistic, here. scott sinking both repubs works for me. eom

[Arkana]

4. Vote Democrat: You Hate Us Less.

[RockaFowler]

5. Go Alex

She's gonna start advertising soon. Not that she really needs to. Scott and McCollum are beating up each other and it is precious. When she runs against either of them, she has so much ammunition that they both gave her. It's wonderful!!

[JCMach1]

6. Exactly, Alex can wait until after the primary... she has gained without any advertising...