A new poll shows former Arkansas governor and two-time presidential candidate Mike Huckabee a GOP favorite in the 2018 Florida governor's race.
St. Pete Polls found Huckabee commanding 37 percent of likely Republican primary voters — a substantial lead over all potential Florida GOP competitors.
Here's the breakdown:
- Mike Huckabee — 37 percent
- State Attorney General Pam Bondi — 26 percent
- State Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam — 8 percent
- Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater — 7 percent
- Former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker — 3 percent
- House Speaker Designate Richard Corcoran — 1 percent
- Former House Speaker Will Weatherford — less than 1 percent
The remaining 19 percent would vote for somebody else or are unsure who they would support. The survey of 1,835 likely Republican primary voters has a margin of error is 2.3 percent.
Last week, Florida Politics reported that Huckabee is looking into a possible run. Two leading state Republicans, a top GOP lobbyist and a member of the Florida legislature, told the political website Huckabee is "eyeing a run for the governor's mansion in 2018."
As well, Matt Gaetz, a Florida state senator Huckabee has endorsed for Congress, believes the former Arkansas governor and two-time GOP presidential candidate would be a natural for the job.