Posted on 10/07/2010 8:02:05 PM PDT by kristinn
Republican Marco Rubio "is in the catbird's seat" in the race for Florida's U.S. Senate seat, with Gov. Charlie Crist stalled in second and Democrat Kendrick Meek lagging even further behind in third, according to a Mason-Dixon poll released Thursday.
Rubio has pushed his lead to 15 percentage points, attracting 42 percent of voters, compared with 27 percent for Crist, an independent, and 21 percent for Meek, the poll showed. Ten percent of voters remain undecided.
If Rubio can stay above 40 percent, it will be difficult for Crist or Meek to catch him, said Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker.
"Most Crist voters don't seem likely to jump to Meek, and most Meek voters don't appear ready to throw in with Crist," Coker said. "The stand-off on the left and center makes it easy for Rubio to win simply by consolidating the base of conservative-leaning Florida voters."
Coker said that the weakest GOP candidate for statewide office in recent years — failed U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris — drew 37 percent of the vote in 2006. "Given that fact, Rubio should have no problem keeping his support above 40 percent," he said.
"Rubio is in the catbird's seat," Coker concluded.
The former Florida House speaker is the only candidate whose favorable ratings — 44 percent — exceed his unfavorables, 31 percent.
Meek's favorables and unfavorables are identical — 27 percent. Crist's are 35 percent to 40 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
I’ll be even more interested to see what they show for the governor’s race. Looks like a favorable electorate.
If Meeks pulls out and the Dems endorse Crist, what then? (Crist has met with Harry Reid)
if its a choice between crist or meek. I rather meek win. Crist is really one of the worst politican ever. He has no principals at all
Look at the poll numbers above. It would most likely be too little, too late.
If the left senses that neither Crist nor Meek can win, that might discourage the RATs from going to the polls, therby also damaging Alex Stink.
Most blacks will stay home, thinking their candidate was back stabbed.
Win, Rubio.
If anybody made a deal to withdraw, it would be Crist since his ethics and principles are much more, um, flexible than Meek’s.
Rubio will win.
That is all.
27+21 > 42
Are you so sure? Rubio spent Millions showing Crist hugging Obama and implying they were as close as can be.
Just yesterday Meeks stated that he was in the race til voting day.
Don’t think he is a liar like Crist.
If Meeks pulls out and the Dems endorse Crist, what then? (Crist has met with Harry Reid)Presumably at least some of Crist's supporters would vote for Rubio rather than Meeks, since Crist started out this race as a Republican. And, as others have mentioned, some Meeks supporters would not doubt stay home in protest to him being thrown under the bus.
An amazing performance by Rubio, given that Crist was considered all but a sure thing when he quit the Republican primary.
Crist will be lucky if he gets a fraction of that 21%.
I read on Hot Air last night that Meeks may drop out and support Crist. Does anyone know if this is remotely true?
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