Dr. Barbara Sharief, a Democrat running for the 35th Florida Senate District, has released the results of two recent internal polls.
The first poll, conducted from September 7th to 11th, 2023, surveyed 236 very likely Florida Democratic primary voters. The findings were positive for Dr. Sharief, with over 60% of voters preferring a candidate with experience in County Commission or Mayor roles, such as Dr. Sharief, over “a candidate with no experience,” which she says about her opponent, Rodney Jacobs. In a head-to-head matchup, Dr. Sharief garnered 43% of the votes while Jacobs’ only received 3% of the vote. Additionally, only 5% of voters had a positive opinion of Jacobs, while 44% had a positive opinion of Dr. Sharief.
The second poll, conducted via text from October 2nd to 4th, 2023, surveyed 504 very likely Democrat primary voters and showed even more positive results for Dr. Sharief. In a head-to-head matchup, she received 51% of the votes, while Jacobs received only 4%. When asked about preferring a candidate with experience versus someone who has never been elected, 66% of voters favored experience, while 16% favored the inexperienced candidate.
“I have represented this District as a Miramar City Commissioner, County Commissioner, and I was twice elected as Broward County’s Mayor,” Dr. Sharief said. “I have worked hard building my successful business and raising my three beautiful daughters while being a public servant and I am excited by the prospect of representing my neighbors in Tallahassee as their next state senator.”
According to the candidate, Democratic Party officials believe Jacobs faces an uphill battle given these polling results. Dr. Sharief has been endorsed by prominent Democrat activists and elected officials, positioning her as the front-runner with the experience and determination needed to win the race and advocate for the residents of SD-35.
“I am so grateful for the community’s support on the campaign trail and from the numerous endorsements I have received,” Dr. Sharief added. “I am committed to serving the 35th District and addressing the economic and housing issues faced by our residents.”