Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Ritch Workman continues to trail Debbie Mayfield in Senate District 17.
A new survey by St. Pete Polls found Mayfield leads Workman by nearly 18 points in the Treasure Coast district. The survey — commissioned by FloridaPolitics.com and conducted July 26 — found nearly 43 percent of likely Republican primary voters said they would vote for Mayfield if the election were held today. The survey found 25 percent of likely Republican primary voters said they would pick Workman.
The survey found 10 percent of respondents said they would vote for Mike Thomas, while 22 percent said they were still undecided.
The race has become one of the most-watched Senate races in the state, as the two state lawmakers battle it out to replace Sen. Thad Altman in the Florida Senate. The newly drawn district includes all of Indian River County and portions of Brevard County.
The two state lawmakers are locked into a bitter battle for the seat. Outside groups are pouring thousands of dollars into the race, with two opposition groups — Accomplished Conservative Leaders Fund and Stop Career Politicians — popping up in hopes of exposing the records of Mayfield and Workman.
The opposition campaign could be having a negative impact on Workman. The survey found nearly 40 percent of respondents said they had an unfavorable opinion of the Melbourne Republican. Nearly 29 percent said they had a favorable view of Workman, while 32 percent said they were unsure.
Workman was first elected to the Florida House in 2008. His district includes parts of Brevard County, and he remains somewhat unknown in Indian River County.
Mayfield, a Vero Beach Republican, was also elected to the Florida House in 2008. Much like the new Senate district, Mayfield’s House district includes all of Indian River County. She also represents part of St. Lucie County.
The survey found nearly 43 percent of respondents said they had a favorable opinion of Mayfield, while nearly 28 percent said they had an unfavorable view. Nearly 30 percent of likely Republican voters said they were unsure.
The survey found 72 percent of respondents said they were unsure when asked if they had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Thomas. Nearly 12 percent said they had a favorable opinion of him, while 16 percent said they had an unfavorable opinion.
The poll of 644 likely Republican primary voters was conducted July 26. It has a margin of error of 3.9 percent.
