Phil Ammann
A pair of competing polls shows just how spiteful the Democratic primary has become between Annette Taddeo and Joe Garcia.
Taddeo, the former running mate for gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist, is facing Garcia for Florida’s 26th Congressional District, currently held by first-term incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo.
POLITICO Florida reports on new internal polling from Taddeo’s campaign showing her 16 points behind Garcia. The survey comes just ahead of Garcia’s own numbers, which show the former congressman with a 24-point lead.
However, Taddeo’s poll gives her a possible victory when voters learn more about the candidates. According to POLITICO’s Marc Caputo, with more information, Garcia’s 16-point lead than turns into a 48-point advantage for Taddeo.
“We always knew that a former congressman who has been running in the same seat for 10 years would start with an advantage,” Taddeo’s campaign said in a statement. “We also know that Garcia’s support absolutely crumbles when the voters have another choice. In our poll, we found that Garcia started with a lead, that his name ID was huge, and that he has relatively good favorable rating given his history.”
The campaign also pointed out that there has been “no communication in this race yet,” remaining confident on Taddeo’s position in the contest.
By releasing the poll Wednesday morning, Taddeo appears to be looking to rally supporters for her congressional run — which include independent committees such as Emily’s List, as well as The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, U.S. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
Caputo writes that the polls offer different looks at one-on-one matchups. Garcia’s poll puts him between 48 and 53 percent, with Taddeo getting 24 to 28 percent of the vote. In contrast, Taddeo survey puts Garcia at 48 to 53 percent while she garners 27 to 37 percent.
Caputo also notes how both polls indicate Garcia has much higher name recognition and favorability: “in his survey, 81 percent of Democrats know him, 56 percent view him favorably and 25 percent unfavorably; while 35 percent know her, with 28 percent viewing her favorably and 7 percent unfavorably … Taddeo’s poll [shows] 78 percent of Democrats know Garcia, 58 percent view him favorably and 21 percent unfavorably. Taddeo is known by 35 percent of voters in her poll, with 30 percent who view her favorably and 5 percent unfavorably.”
In the contest in Florida’s most southernmost congressional district, the timing of the two polls — released nearly simultaneously — is another sign of how competitive, and contentious, the race has become.
