A Rasmussen Reports survey conducted Tuesday, August 24, 2004, found that 42% of Florida's Likely Voters would choose Castor over McCollum. Thirty-nine percent (39%) would opt for McCollum, a former Congressman who narrowly lost a Florida Senate campaign four years ago. That 3-point difference is within the survey's 4.5 percentage point margin of sampling error.

If Mel Martinez wins the GOP nomination, the match-up with Castor is a dead heat with both candidates at 44%.

Against both GOP candidates, Castor leads among women. With McCollum as the Republican nominee, men are evenly divided. Martinez has a modest lead among male voters.

If Peter Deutsch wins the Democratic nomination, Republicans will enter the fall campaign with the lead. Martinez leads Deutsch 47% to 39% in the latest poll. McCollum leads 44% to 37%.

Both parties will select their candidates in a Primary Election on August 31. Florida is one of five Southern States with a retiring Democratic Senator.

Our latest Presidential poll in Florida shows Bush 49% Kerry 47%. Florida remains a "Toss-Up" for the Rasmussen Reports Electoral College projection.

In Florida, 53% of all voters Approve of the way President Bush is performing his job. That's up three points from our last survey and slightly above his national Job Approval rating.

Data for Florida will be updated again early next month.

Rasmussen Reports is an independent public opinion research firm that provides daily updates on the Presidential election and the nation's economic confidence.

In August, we have released state election polls for Nevada Washington, Maine, Ohio, Michigan, Oregon, New Jersey, Arkansas, New Mexico, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Virginia, Iowa, Georgia, Illinois, and Minnesota.