Great news for team Rubio today in the form of a new Public Policy Polling survey that shows him leading the general election field with 40 percent of the vote, compared to 32 percent for independent Charlie Crist and 17 percent for likely Democratic nominee Kendrick Meek.
The better news for Rubio, though, is that the voter trend he has been fighting — namely, Democrats’ support for Crist — seems to now be going in his favor.
PPP’s last poll of the race in mid-July found Crist in the lead at 35% to 29% for Rubio and 17% for Meek. Two major developments have shifted the race in Rubio’s direction though. The first is that Democrats are now going for Meek 39-38 where before they were going for Crist 44-35. As Democrats have gotten to know Meek over the course of the primary campaign they’ve generally decided they like him and that’s cut into Crist’s support for the general election.
The other big difference is that many Republican voters have moved off the fence and they’ve almost universally moved into the Rubio column. Where Rubio had a 54-23 lead with GOP voters in July, it’s now increased to 69-20. Many Republicans were up in the air between Crist and Rubio previously but whatever they’ve seen over the last month has moved them more firmly into the Rubio column.
That said, a lot can happen before November, and polls can vacillate in the wind.
“These polls will give you whiplash if you try to pay too much attention,” Rubio Spokesman Alex Burgos told Battle ‘10. “They’re going to keep coming fast and furiously.”
Burgos said the election will be won on policy grounds.
“Over the next 70 days, voters will gain a clear understanding of where Marco is and where the other two candidates are,” Burgos said.