Republican Marco Rubio has an early advantage over Democrat Val Demings as he seeks a third term in the U.S. Senate later this year, according to a new Florida poll.
The Mason-Dixon Poll released Wednesday shows 49% of registered voters statewide would vote for Rubio if November's election were held today, compared with 42% for Demings and 9% undecided.
The poll of 625 registered voters was conducted by phone from Feb. 7-10. It included 236 registered Democrats, 249 Republicans, and 140 independent, and the margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Rubio, 50, has held the seat since winning it in 2010, but could face a stiff competition from the 64-year-old Demings, who's served as a congresswoman since 2017.
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But when it comes to name recognition, 95% of registered voters recognize Rubio compared to 68% who are familiar with Demings, the poll said.
Support for both runs mostly along party lines, but independents back Rubio over Demings by about 10 points, at 47%-37%.
Rubio leads in all regions of Florida except the southeast, where Demings has a 53%-40% advantage.
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But the poll said President Joe Biden's low job rating in Florida could have an impact on the Senate race.
Among Florida voters, 40% approve of Biden's performance in office, while 55% disapprove and 5% are not sure, the poll said.
When it comes to Florida independents, 61% disapprove of Biden's performance compared to 33% who approve, the poll said.
