- A new Florida Chamber of Commerce poll finds a majority of Florida voters are optimistic about the state’s economy, with more than half believing it is better off than other states.
- Governor Ron DeSantis enjoys a similar approval rating, while President Joe Biden faces a majority of Florida voters disapproving of his job performance.
- The poll also highlights Florida voters’ opinions on COVID-19 strategy, with 61% supporting the state’s early reopening approach, and concerns over education, property insurance, and the economy.
A majority of Florida voters believe Florida is doing better than other states, and about the same number say Governor Ron DeSantis is doing a good job, according to a new statewide poll conducted by the Florida Chamber of Commerce. The poll findings on DeSantis’ job performance contrasted sharply with the voters views on President Joe Biden.
According to the poll, 53% of Florida voters feel the state’s economy is better off than other states, with an annual growth rate of 3.2%, outpacing the national level by a full percentage point. In the past year, Florida has created 300,600 jobs, and the unemployment rate stands at a low 2.7%.
The poll found strong overall approval for DeSantis, with 51% of respondents viewing his job as governor favorably, including a 55% approval rating among Hispanic voters. The Chamber attributes the positive numbers to DeSantis’ leadership and legislative actions that focus on competition and growth.
“Florida’s economic momentum continues to outpace the nation,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor DeSantis and legislative leaders like House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, recent legislative action reining in runaway litigation that drives up costs for Florida families and local businesses will pave the way for more competition and Florida’s continued growth.”
President Biden, however, faces significant disapproval in the Sunshine State. 56% of voters disapprove of his job performance, and more than half (51%) believe that his economic policies have made the U.S. economy worse. Among Hispanic voters, 62% disapprove of President Biden’s performance, and 62% of voters think he does not deserve re-election.
Florida voters’ opinions on the state’s COVID-19 strategy were also examined, with 61% believing Florida handled the reopening best, contrasting with only 30% who believe states like California got it right. The poll also identified top issues facing Florida, such as education, property insurance, and jobs and the economy.
In voter registration updates, Republicans have continued to expand their lead over Democrats, surpassing the half-million mark. As of July 31, 2023, Republicans hold an advantage of 567,964 voters over Democrats, with almost 30% of all active voters being NPA and other party registrants.
While the poll offers a snapshot of Floridians’ views on various political and economic issues, the poll’s margin of error is +/- 4 percent. The findings reflect the perspectives of the 604 respondents, including 243 Democrats, 263 Republicans, and 98 others, who participated in the live telephone interviews conducted from August 9 to 19, 2023.
Really? The “new” poll was done in February 2023, with a miniscule amount of possible voters. “ABOUT THIS POLL: The Florida Chamber of Commerce political poll was conducted on February 10 – 19, 2023 by Cherry Communications during live telephone interviews of likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. The sample size included 245 Democrats, 256 Republicans and 107 Others for a total of 608 respondents statewide”