TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Charlie Crist has cut into Republican Marco Rubio’s once sizable lead in Florida’s three-way U.S. Senate contest as Democrats abandon the candidacy of their party’s nominee, a new poll released Thursday shows.
Crist, however, still faces a difficult task as Rubio retains a seven-point lead going into Tuesday’s voting, according to a Quinnipiac (Conn.) University poll.
Meanwhile, Democrat Alex Sink clings to a slight advantage over Republican Rick Scott in one of the nastiest and most expensive governor’s races in Florida history. Sink received 45 percent to Scott’s 41 percent with 11 percent undecided. Nine percent say they might change their minds.
“This race looks like it will go to the finish line as a dead heat,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the poll. “She has some momentum, but anything can happen in the final days.”
Quinnipiac questioned 784 likely voters by telephone Oct. 18 and 24. The random survey has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
The poll had Rubio with 42 percent to Crist’s 35 percent while Democrat Kendrick Meek fell to 15 percent in the Senate race where Crist is running as an independent. Rubio, who built his lead largely on criticism of President Barack Obama’s policies, led Crist by a 44 to 30 percent margin two weeks ago in a similar Quinnipiac poll where Meek was favored by 22 percent.
“Gov. Crist has pulled within hailing distance,” said Brown, who noted added that the incumbent governor will likely suffer on Election Day without any party machinery to assist a get-out-the-vote effort. Crist’s name is also near the bottom of the ballot.
“Marco Rubio’s in the driver’s seat,” Brown said.
Meek, who surrendered a safe congressional seat from Miami to make the Senate race, lost about a third of his support in the last two...
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ST. PETERSBURG – Governor Charlie Crist, independent candidate for United States Senate, will launch a three-day statewide bus tour on Friday as he shares with Florida voters his message of honest, independent leadership in the final weekend before Tuesday’s election. “The People’s Express” will begin its journey with a pancake breakfast in Panama City at 7:30 A.M. on Friday morning and conclude in St. Pete Beach.
Friday’s schedule is below, along with the destination cities for Saturday and Sunday. Members of the media who wish to travel on “The People’s Express” should contact Crist campaign headquarters to make logistical arrangements.
Governor Crist will also take part in a statewide fly-around on Monday, November 1. Details will be publicized as they become available.
Friday, October 29
7:30 A.M. CDT
“The People’s Express” Pancake Breakfast
Holiday Inn Select
2001 Martin Luther King Blvd.
PANAMA CITY
9:30 A.M. CDT
“The People’s Express” Meet-and-Greet
Another Broken Egg
979 Hwy 98 E, Suite F
DESTIN
11:15 A.M. CDT
“The People’s Express” Meet-and-Greet
McGuire’s Irish Pub
600 East Gregory Street
PENSACOLA
4:15 P.M. EDT
Attends Florida Education Association Delegate Assembly
Rosen Centre Hotel
9840 International Drive
ORLANDO
***The Orlando stop will be a detour from “The People’s Express.” The bus will travel from Pensacola to Tallahassee following the 11:15 A.M. event for members of the media and Crist supporters. The bus tour will resume with Governor Crist in Tallahassee on Saturday morning.
Saturday, October 30
Destination Cities:
Tallahassee
Madison
Palm Bay
Jacksonville
Orlando
Melbourne
Overnight: West Palm Beach
Sunday, October 31
Destination Cities:
West Palm Beach
Riviera Beach
Hollywood
Ft. Myers
Sarasota
St. Pete Beach
Former Democratic state House Speaker Peter Wallace of St. Petersburg, who has been friends with Charlie Crist for decades, today endorsed him for U.S. Senate.
“I know Charlie Crist to be an honest, independent leader who will work with both parties to create jobs, improve our schools and tackle our fiscal challenges,” said Wallace. “Floridians urgently need to unite behind the one candidate who can beat Marco Rubio and then deliver bipartisan solutions for Florida in our nation’s capital, and that’s Charlie Crist.”
Published: October 16, 2010
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Paid for by Charlie Crist for U.S. Senate.
