Florida Poll: Trump Narrowly Leads Top Democrat Candidates in General Election Matchup
A Florida Atlantic University poll released Wednesday shows President Trump narrowly leading his potential Democrat challengers in a hypothetical 2020 general election matchup.
The poll – conducted September 12-15 among 934 registered voters in Florida– showed the president narrowly leading his top Democrat challengers in a general election matchup in the Sunshine State.
According to the poll, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) appeared to be the most competitive challenger, losing to Trump 50.1 percent to 49.9 percent. Joe Biden (D) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) lose to the president by one point – 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent, the poll showed.
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), who has struggled to regain her once-held status as a top tier candidate, loses by four points, 52 percent to 48 percent. However, with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent, the candidates listed, minus Harris, are in a virtual dead heat with the president:
FLORIDA
2020 GE:
Trump 52% (+4)
Harris 48%
.
Trump 51% (+1)
Biden 50%
.
Trump 51% (+1)
Senders 50%
.
Trump 50%
Warren 50%@FloridaAtlantic 9/12-15https://t.co/aX2Yreuxnrpic.twitter.com/97wZ6gSYLj— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) September 18, 2019
The survey also analyzed the Democrat primary race in Florida, showing Sanders behind both Biden and Warren by double digits– a growing trend, as recent polls indicate.
The poll showed Biden leading in Florida with 34 percent, followed by Warren with 24 percent support. Sanders came in third place with 14 percent support, followed by Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) with five percent support, Harris with four percent support, and Mayor Wayne Messam (D) with three percent support. The margin of error for the Democrat primary results is +/- 4.9 percent.
#Florida Democratic Primary:
Biden 34%
Warren 24%
Sanders 14%
Buttigieg 5%
Harris 4%
Messam 3%
O'Rourke 2%
Yang 2%
Gabbard 1%
de Blasio 1%
Ryan 1%
Booker 1%
Bullock 1%
Bennet 1%
Steyer 0%
Castro 0%
Klobuchar 0%
Delaney 0%
Sestak 0%
Williamson 0%@FloridaAtlantic 9/12-15 pic.twitter.com/AFBM1NzpeI— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) September 18, 2019
FAU political science professor Dr. Kevin Wagner, who also serves as a research fellow for the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative, said Warren is “becoming a real competitor for the state.”
“While Joe Biden continues to lead other primary candidates in Florida, Elizabeth Warren is gathering strength and is becoming a real competitor for the state,” Wagner said, according to FAU.
“President Trump is in a dead heat with the leading Democrats in Florida, which continues to be the largest battleground state,” he added.
Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in Florida in 2016 with 48.6 percent to the failed presidential candidate’s 47.4 percent.