Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has opened 44–36 percent lead over U.S. Rep. Connie Mack in Florida’s U.S. Senate race, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.
The poll released Thursday compares to a statistical tie between the two in a poll taken by same surveyers back in January.
While men are split on the two, women by far favor Nelson, 46-32 percent, according to the poll.
“President Barack Obama’s surge in Florida is helping Sen. Bill Nelson’s re-election chances,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “Just as President Obama’s lead in the presidential race in the Sunshine State is fueled by female voters, so too is Nelson’s. He also is running better among several groups, including whites and Catholics and voters 50 to 64 years old.”
The poll of 1,228 voters was taken by interviewers calling voters from March 20 to March 26.