RasmussenReports.com, October 4th, 2006
Republican Attorney General Charlie Crist has opened up a wide lead over Democratic Congressman Jim Davis. The latest Rasmussen Reports election survey shows Crist ahead 54% to 38%. Crist led Davis 45% to 40% earlier this month.
Crist’s comfort zone extends beyond the polls to his bank account. The campaign’s most recent financial disclosure statement shows more than $2.5 million cash-on-hand. Davis’ coffers are a little lighter with approximately $560,000 in reserves.
Crist won his primary handily, defeating Tom Gallagher by a nearly 2-1 ratio in the Republican primary. Davis’ victory was much tougher. He edged out State Senator Rod Smith 47% to 41% to take the Democratic nomination.
Crist may feel good about his lead at the moment, but the race is still far more competitive than Florida’s Senate race.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Crist voters say they’re casting a positive vote for him while 16% say they’re voting against Davis.
As for the Democrat, 28% of his support comes from people voting against Crist.
Thirty-five percent (35%) of voters surveyed say they have “very favorable” opinions of Crist versus 16% who feel the same toward Davis. At the other end of the spectrum, 11% feel very unfavorably toward Crist and 9% say the same of Davis. Fifteen percent (15%) of voters still aren’t sure how they feel about Davis.
The candidates are vying to succeed a popular governor. Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters approve of Gov. Jeb Bush’s job performance (40% strongly so) and 37% disapprove. His brother doesn’t fare quite as well. Forty-three percent (43%) of voters say they “strongly disapprove” of President Bush.
The telephone survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports October 2, 2006. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
