Posted on 08/04/2006 8:06:09 AM PDT by Happy Valley Dude
TALLAHASSEE - Republican Charlie Crist and Democrat Jim Davis hold double-digit leads over their rivals in party primaries for governor, but the Democratic race remains wide open with nearly two-thirds of voters undecided, a new poll shows.
The statewide telephone survey was conducted July 24-25 by the Republican polling firm McLaughlin & Associates for a unit of Associated Industries of Florida, a statewide lobbying group representing 11,000 businesses.
The poll of 600 people covered policy questions such as property insurance, immigration and offshore oil drilling and included smaller samples of Republicans and Democrats who said they were likely to vote in the Sept. 5 primary.
In the battle for the Republican nomination for governor, Attorney General Crist leads Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher, 42 percent to 24 percent, with 34 percent undecided. Among voters who identified themselves as conservatives, Crist led 44 percent to 24 percent.
On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Davis leads state Sen. Rod Smith, 25 percent to 11 percent, with 64 percent undecided. With the start of early voting 2½ weeks away, 40 percent of Democrats said they did not recognize Smith's name and 33 percent said they had never heard of Davis.
"The Democratic primary for governor is wide open," pollster Jim McLaughlin wrote in a six-page memo to AIF. "Neither candidate has a significant name recognition advantage."
Three other statewide races are also wide open, the poll suggests.
In the Republican primary for chief financial officer, 78 percent of voters are undecided. Senate President Tom Lee leads Rep. Randy Johnson, 12 percent to 8 percent, with 2 percent for Milt Bauguess.
A hypothetical general election matchup for CFO gives Democrat Alex Sink a 4-point lead over Lee and 6 points over Johnson, with 56 percent undecided in both matchups.
In the campaign for attorney general, Democratic state Sen. Walter "Skip" Campbell leads former Republican U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, 28 percent to 27 percent, with 45 percent undecided.
The agriculture commissioner's race shows Republican Charlie Bronson leading Democrat Eric Copeland, 27 percent to 23 percent, with 50 percent undecided.
By a margin of 76 percent to 13 percent, voters support deregulation of the property insurance market as a way to promote competition and attract more companies to the state.
The poll showed mixed opinions on proposals in Congress to reduce the flow of illegal immigration. Slightly more voters, 37 percent, favored the more aggressive House version than the Senate plan 31 percent, which includes temporary worker permits for undocumented workers.
On drilling, 50 percent said no drilling should be allowed within 125 miles of Florida's coast, and another 24 percent opposed drilling anywhere off Florida. About one in five voters, 19 percent, support drilling anywhere.
The margin of error for the Republican sample is plus or minus 6.3 percentage points and 6 points for the Democratic sample. The margin of error for the policy questions is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Steve Bousquet can be reached at (850) 224-7263 or bousquet@sptimes.com.
[Last modified August 4, 2006, 01:16:03]
And freepers, let's admit it. EVERYBODY LURKS AT FREE REPUBLIC, EVEN CHARLIE's crew.
polls are hogwash. It's closer than you think....insider polls are much better than polls published in liberal newspapers. You should know that. There is none more liberal than the St. Pete Times.
Dear Friends,
Tonight, Tom Gallagher was victorious in his first debate against his opponent in Poinciana. Tom proved once again that he is the only Republican candidate with real and credible policies that will carry on the legacy of Governor Jeb Bush.
Tom clearly distinguished himself as the stronger candidate with his command of the issues and his adherence to Republican values. After 60 minutes of cordial discussion with his rival for the Republican nomination, Tom was the only man on stage who offered specific plans for education, insurance, public safety, defending family values, and the economy.
On the issue of the economy, Tom provided details of his comprehensive economic strategy, specifically about insurance reform and transportation. Furthermore, Tom praised the goal of achieving smaller class sizes while defending and supporting the Governor’s effort to modify the class size amendment. On the other hand, his opponent continued his support for the Class-Size Amendment but could not provide details as to whether he would raise taxes or cut programs to fund the $25 billion price tag.
On the issue of insurance, Tom offered real solutions to deliver reform and protection to Florida’s homeowners to help insure the availability of insurance and return affordability to Florida’s insurance market. He renewed his call for lowering the threshold of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe (CAT) Fund from $5.2 billion to $3 billion, which would make it easier for homeowners to receive aid in the time of a devastating hurricane. Tom also emphasized fundamental long-term changes that need to be implemented on the national and statewide levels which will help ease the burden on Floridians.
In his closing statement, Tom affirmed his pro-life stance and pointed out that his opponent has a pro-choice voting record, and he spoke about the importance of strengthening Florida’s families.
Now that we are in the month of August, differences are becoming clear between the two candidates running to succeed Governor Jeb Bush. Tom Gallagher, who has served alongside Governor Bush in the cabinet for eight years, and his opponent, who increasingly finds himself at odds with the Governor’s policies.
We need your support, but most importantly, we need your vote on September 5th to ensure that Florida continues heading in the right direction.
ADDENDUM: Bay News 9 internet direct viewer poll after a televised debate.
Who won? GALLAGHER 71 PERCENT CRIST 28 PERCENT. That poll is based upon seeing them side by side, not on pollsters making random phone calls.
RINO = Republican in Name Only
Miami high on risk/danger assessment scale.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060803-023835-1557r
fyi: the log cabin pubbies are quietly donating to crist's campaign.
Before I even looked I knew it would be the St.Pete paper.
Chaingang Charlie's not soft on crime either...
" Gallagher's past support, during his 1994 run for governor, for a ban on assault weapons, a push for registration of bullets and a ban on gun sales to those 21 and younger."
Sorry, in a work and lurk mode. This is what I was referring to."
I posted this on #17. Fridays are payroll.
Crist would sue the attackers into submission AND duck and cover.
They need to go back and read the Republican Creed. Gallagher follows it but Crist probably doesn't even know there is one.
Crist is in the AARP, calls corrupt judges heroes, I will find the ACLU suporting him too, give me a little time next week and I will show Crist in bed with the ACLU. The trouble with rinos is that they'll take anybody's money and they are more than happy to reward their donors in return.
Crist is already corrupt. He's not going to evolve into an honest candidate. He's only going to get worse!
Crist is a "trial lawyer?" Come on now, if you are going to throw that accusation around, at least try to be balanced. The Florida Medical Association (the most anti-trial lawyer organization in the state) endorsed Crist a few weeks ago. Gallagher is a scumbag. He acts like a conservative now, but where were all these conservative positions back when he was a legislator? You can't just wake up one day and decide you're a conservative and pretend that the last 50 years of your life don't exist. He's getting hammered in the polls and in fundraising, and rightfully so.
TIMING OF THIS HEARING COULDN'T BE WORSE FOR CRIST. HIS HERO IS IN HOT WATER...Judge Greer has a court date in PENSACOLA on August 18th with the Florida Elections Commission. It appears they are finally looking into Judge Greer's violation of the judicial canons in his 2004 race.
It is a sticky wicket because everyone in the tv spot are Crist cronies from the county that makes Cook County in Chicago blush.
If the FEC has the integrity that the JQC lacks, maybe Greer will finally get the boot. Remember, Judge Greer was called a hero by Crist at a big trial lawyer convention at a West Palm Beach County. Judge Greer mandated the murder of a disabled woman after giving all of her rehab monies to right to die lawyers that REPRESENTED HER ADULTEROUS HUSBAND. THEY WERE NOT HER ATTORNEYS - death obsessed, driven trial lawyers. TERRI SCHIAVO WAS ROBBED BEFORE SHE WAS STARVED/DEHYDRATED TO DEATH.
Crist didn't stop them from killing her or from ROBBING HER FOR THAT MATTER.
He embraced them the right to die scum and in so doing, also the ACLU. He was a lousy AG, so why should he be promoted to be a lousy governor?
I was out today and I wasn't discussing politics but other people were. Seems that Charlie Crist is Florida's Al Gore. Everyone is making fun of him. I had no idea. People from St. Pete are really laughing at Crist's expense. That's what happens in SOCIAL PROMOTIONS. Apparently, CRIST hasn't changed since high school.
CHARLIE CRIST has poor judgment choosing his acquaintances. Crist and Greer are thick as well, thieves.
Terri Schiavo had no directives, she was never represented by counsel (WHERE WAS CHARLIE CRIST?) He should have stepped in and represented her interests but he couldn't because of AMERIKA'S VORST JUDGE GREER who belongs in prison along with the former Sheriff and the State Attorney. Crist's FL AG office told callers that they "didn't have a civil rights dept." His staff was even LYING to avoid helping Terri Schiavo. They followed orders because Greer had to make sure that he could have Terri starved/dehydrated to death. Got it?
Pensacola, August 18th. Greer's violations being heard. Greer is one of Crist's judicial heroes because GREER killed somebody?
Oops. That's what happens when a dunderhead like CHARLIE CRIST gets a social promotion. He was a total failure as FL AG except he did a fine job of handing his troubles over to Jeb. I wish Jeb would quit protecting Crist. It is SO OBVIOUS.
The question is: What happens when a Judge conducts an ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN, along with the Sheriff, the Public Defender, the Prosecutor and a Deputy Cunningham in a tv ad that is all over the internet if it LEADS TO SOMEBODY'S DEATH because the tv spot was illegal and also misleading. The voters imo believed they were voting for a criminal court judge. They were totally fooled. The commercial did not specify that Judge Greer was a guardianship judge. It was very misleading. THROW THE BOOK AT HIM AND HIS LITTLE FRIENDS TOO.
August 17th at 4:00 pm est - 555 W. Pensacola St. Tallahassee.
Crist called J. Greer a hero after Terri Schiavo died from no water or nutrition for 13 days thanks to Greer.
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