The race for Florida’s Electoral College votes is closer now than it was just a few days ago. Consistent with a pattern found in national polls and in several other state polls, John McCain has lost ground in the Sunshine State, but support for Barack Obama hasn’t increased.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds McCain on top 48% to 47% (see crosstabs). The previous poll, conducted Sunday night, showed McCain on top 51% to 46%.
Both candidates are now viewed favorably by 55% of Florida voters. That’s unchanged for McCain but a five-point improvement for Obama.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Obama voters say they are voting with enthusiasm for their candidate, an attitude shared by 67% of McCain supporters.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of McCain voters say they are primarily voting against Obama while 19% of the Democrat’s voters are primarily voting against McCain.
The survey was conducted Wednesday night, the night that President Bush addressed the nation on the economic crisis. National surveys conducted in recent days show that opposition to the Administration’s bailout plan has been growing and that most Americans are now worried the federal government will do too much rather than too little.
A separate Rasmussen national poll released last week found that most voters are not yet convinced that either candidate can handle the economic crisis.
President George W. Bush earns good or excellent ratings from 28% of Florida voters, down from 34% just a few days ago. Fifty-four percent (54%) now say the President is doing a poor job.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist is rated good or excellent by 54% of voters, versus only 17% say he is doing a poor job.
See survey questions and toplines. Crosstabs available for Premium Members only.
|
McCain (R) |
50% |
49% |
|
Obama (D) |
49% |
49% |
This telephone survey of 700 Likely Voters was conducted by Rasmussen Reports September 24, 2008. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
See Methodology.
|
Florida Trends: McCain vs. Obama |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Date |
McCain |
Obama |
|
11/02/2008 |
50% |
49% |
|
47% |
51% |
|
|
49% |
48% |
|
|
46% |
51% |
|
|
47% |
50% |
|
|
45% |
52% |
|
|
47% |
47% |
|
|
48% |
47% |
|
|
51% |
46% |
|
|
49% |
44% |
|
|
48% |
48% |
|
|
46% |
43% |
|
|
45% |
46% |
|
|
48% |
41% |
|
|
47% |
39% |
|
|
50% |
40% |
|
|
53% |
38% |
|
|
47% |
43% |
|
|
53% |
37% |
|
|
Favorable Ratings for Presidential Candidates in Florida |
||
|---|---|---|
|
McCain |
Obama |
|
|
Very Favorable |
38% |
43% |
|
Somewhat Favorable |
22% |
9% |
|
Somewhat Unfavorable |
19% |
12% |
|
Very Unfavorable |
20% |
36% |
|
Not Sure |
1% |
1% |
|
Rasmussen Reports - Electoral College Balance of Power Summary |
|
|---|---|
|
160 |
|
|
260 |
|
|
118 |
|
Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.
The Rasmussen Reports ElectionEdge™ Premium Service for Election 2008 offers the most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a Presidential election.
Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports, has been an independent pollster for more than a decade.
