Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum holds a slim lead over his Republican opponent, Ron DeSantis, while current Gov. Rick Scott has a single-point lead over the Democrat he hopes to oust, Sen. Bill Nelson, according to a poll released Tuesday.
Florida Atlantic University found that most likely voters in Florida favor Gillum, though nearly one in five are still undecided.
- Gillum: 41 percent.
- DeSantis: 37 percent.
- Independent: 4 percent.
- Undecided: 18 percent.
Voters between the ages of 18 and 34 tend to favor Gillum, as do independents.
“This election will be a test of the youth vote,” political science professor Kevin Wagner, a research fellow at FAU’s Business and Economics Polling Initiative, said in the press release. “If young voters turn out in high numbers, it could carry the Democratic ticket.”
Nelson and Scott are neck-and-neck in the race for Senate, while a significant portion of likely voters remain unsure.
- Nelson: 41 percent.
- Scott: 42 percent.
- Independent: 4 percent.
- Undecided: 13 percent.
“Perhaps holding Scott back is the algae problem in the state,” said the director of the BEPI, Monica Escaleras. “Voters are nearly twice as likely to blame him as they are Nelson.”
The poll also found that Floridians are most concerned about healthcare, followed by immigration. Trade and the country’s relationship with Russia rank last. It also found that President Donald Trump has an approval rating of 45 percent, and a disapproval rating of 42 percent.
The BEPI surveyed 704 likely voters from October 18-21, with a margin of error of +/- 3.6 percentage points.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.