By Kevin Derby Sunshine State News
Barely a month to go until the primary, a new poll shows former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, D-Fla,, leading the pack of Democratic candidates running for governor.
Mason Dixon released a poll of likely Florida Democratic primary voters on Friday morning which shows Graham with a solid lead, taking 27 percent in the five candidate field. In second place is former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine with 18 percent.
“On the Democratic side, Graham has opened up a 9-point lead over top challenger Philip Levine, whose previously growing base of support appears to be stalled with the late entrance of Jeff Greene into the governor’s race,” noted Mason Dixon.
Since entering the race last month, Greene, a billionaire who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010, has spent lavishly on ads, moving him to third in the Mason Dixon poll with 12 percent. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum placed fourth with 10 percent followed by businessman Chris King with 7 percent. A quarter of those surveyed–25 percent–are undecided while 1 percent back other candidates.
Graham is the most well known candidate with 45 percent of Florida Democrats seeing her favorably while only 2 percent see her as unfavorable. A third of those surveyed–32 percent–are neutral on her while 21 percent are not aware of her.
Levine is seen as favorable by 34 percent of Florida Democrats while 4 percent view him as unfavorable, 39 percent are neutral on him and 23 percent are not aware of him.
Greene is seen as favorable by 27 percent of Florida Democrats, unfavorable by 10 percent while 35 percent see him as neutral and 28 percent are not aware of him.
More than half of Florida Democrats–54 percent–are not aware of Gillum while 17 percent see him as favorable, 7 percent view him as unfavorable and 22 percent are neutral on him.
King is the most unknown of the candidates with 60 percent of Florida Democrats not aware of him while 23 percent are neutral while 16 percent view him favorably and 1 percent see him in an unfavorable light.
The poll of 500 Florida Democrats was taken from July 23-July 25 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.