Poll shows Crist with double digit lead over Scott in possible gubernatorial matchup

AP Photo/ Steve Cannon, File

In this Nov. 9, 2010, photo, Florida Gov.-elect Rick Scott, foreground, speaks at a news conference accompanied by then Gov. Charlie Crist in Tallahassee.

A new survey by Public Policy Polling finds Gov. Rick Scott trailing former Gov. Charlie Crist by double digits if the election were held today.

The poll showed Crist holding a 52-40 lead over Scott among all voters, with the former governor carrying 74 percent of Democrats, 47 percent of independents and 29 percent of Republicans. The governor would also lose races against former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink (42-36) and former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio (44-37), though the governor would defeat his only declared Democratic opponent, former Sen. Nan Rich (42-36).

Scott’s approval ratings continue to lag, with just 33 percent of those surveyed approving of Scott’s performance compared to 57 percent who disapproved. PPP’s survey of Democratic voters found Crist, who was a Republican and then an independent as governor before switching to the Democratic Party last year, leading Sink 50-21 in a primary, with Iorio and Rich in single digits.

PPP, a N.C.-based Democratic polling firm, said the broader poll included 500 voters while the Democratic portion included 300 “usual” primary voters.

The overall poll’s margin of error was 4.4 percentage points, while the Democratic portion’s margin of error was 5.7 percentage points.