A new poll shows Republican Senator Rick Scott leading Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in Florida’s U.S. Senate race, though the contest remains competitive as a portion of voters still undecided.
Republican Senator Rick Scott holds a four-point lead over Democratic challenger Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in Florida’s U.S. Senate race, according to a poll published by Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research USA on Wednesday.
The poll shows Scott with 47 percent support among likely voters, while Mucarsel-Powell has 43 percent. An additional 4 percent of voters favor another candidate, and 6 percent remain undecided. Scott’s support is higher among male voters and those aged 50 and older. Among men, Scott leads 51 percent to 41 percent, while Mucarsel-Powell leads among women, 46 percent to 43 percent. Voters aged 50 and above show a preference for Scott at 49 percent compared to Mucarsel-Powell’s 41 percent. In contrast, voters aged 18 to 49 slightly favor Mucarsel-Powell, 47 percent to 44 percent.
Support also varies across racial and ethnic groups. Scott is ahead among white voters without a college degree, receiving 55 percent of their support compared to Mucarsel-Powell’s 39 percent. Among white college-educated voters, the race is closer, with Scott at 48 percent and Mucarsel-Powell at 47 percent. Mucarsel-Powell holds a strong lead among Black voters, 70% to 20%, while Hispanic voters are nearly evenly split, with Mucarsel-Powell at 47 percent and Scott at 45 percent.
Both candidates retain strong backing from their respective parties, with 85% of Republicans supporting Scott and 81% of Democrats supporting Mucarsel-Powell. Independents are more evenly divided, with 44 percent supporting Scott and 42 percent supporting Mucarsel-Powell.
In regard to income levels, Scott leads by narrow margins across all income brackets. Among voters with household incomes under $50,000, Scott has 45 percent to Mucarsel-Powell’s 44 percent. In the $50,000 to $100,000 range, Scott leads 47 percent to 44 percent, and among those earning more than $100,000, Scott holds 48 percent to Mucarsel-Powell’s 43 percent.
Kevin Wagner, a professor of political science at FAU, noted that while Scott leads, “there is increasing evidence that this race could be competitive in November,” and posits that the remaining 6 percent of undecided voters will be a key focus for both campaigns.