Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Floridians aren’t fond of trial attorneys.
Those were among the findings of a new poll released by the Florida Chamber Political Institute on Wednesday. The survey, among other things, tried to gauge public opinion of plaintiff trial lawyers. The response? Not great.
The survey found 34 percent of respondents had an unfavorable view of plaintiff trial attorneys, while 15 percent said they had a favorable view. The survey found 27 percent of those polled said they never heard of them.
Trial attorneys are big donors to the political process, and records show the Florida Justice PAC, the political arm of the Florida Justice Association, has given more than $91,000 to political committees and candidates since 2013.
The survey also tried to gauge the mood of Florida voters. The survey found the economy and jobs remain the No. 1 issue for voters. Twenty-one percent of voters said that was their top concern, followed by education and schools at 13 percent.
Florida voters also are split on whether they feel Florida is moving in the right direction. The poll found 40 percent of voters said the state was moving in the right direction, while 41 percent thought it was moving in the wrong direction.
Floridians also feel their finances are at least the same as it was a year ago. The poll found 37 percent said their families’ current financial situation is the same as it was a year ago, while 39 percent said it is better than a year ago.
The Florida Chamber’s political poll was conducted from Aug. 17 to Aug. 22 by Cherry Communications. The Chamber surveyed 608 likely Florida voters, and has a margin of error of 4 percent.
