Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Carlos Beruff is running neck-and-neck with Democrat Patrick Murphy, according to a new poll.
In an email to supporters and activists Tuesday, the Manatee County Republican’s campaign said Beruff was in a statistical dead heat with Murphy in the general election. The campaign cited a poll that showed Beruff trailed Murphy 40 percent to 42 percent.
“The Washington establishment got their man. They hand-picked Marco Rubio and now are trying to ram him down the throats of the voters of Florida. They claim that Marco Rubio is the only candidate who can beat Patrick Murphy. But that’s just not the case,” said Matt Parker, Beruff’s campaign manager, in an email to supporters. “A new statewide poll shows Carlos Beruff in a statistical dead heat with Patrick Murphy in the general election, 40-42. And Carlos is only known by ¼ of Floridians.”
The poll surveyed 800 likely voters from June 26 to June 28 and was conducted by OnMessage, Inc. The poll has a margin of error of 3.46 percent.
Federal campaign finance records show the campaign has tapped OnMessage as one of its campaign consultants, paying the firm more than $46,000 in the first quarter of 2016 for its services.
In his message to supporters, Parker said the “Washington establishment” threw its support behind Rubio because “he’s the only candidate they can control.”
“They can’t control Carlos. He’s committed to going to Washington and working day in and day out for the people of Florida, not the establishment,” said Parker. “We need to fight back and make sure everyone in Florida knows that Carlos is the candidate who will stand up to the Washington establishment, not be controlled by them.”
Beruff faces Rubio in the Aug. 30 Republican primary.
