Scott Powers
The Democrats are publicizing a second poll they commissioned showing their candidate, Stephanie Murphy, leading Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. John Mica in Florida’s 7th Congressional District.
The poll, commissioned by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and performed by Global Strategy Group and Lester & Associates, shows Murphy with 48 percent and Mica with 45 percent. It’s the second poll in two weeks the DCCC has commissioned showing Murphy ahead. Last week she had a two-point lead.
No one has publicly released any polls in CD 7 except the DCCC.
The Winter Park business professor seeks to unseat the 12-term incumbent, and she has been carried by millions of dollars of TV and mail advertising paid for by the DCCC and other Democratic groups, including the Florida Democratic Party. Mica, who has not yet attracted outside Republican support, has repeatedly called the Democrats’ advertising distortions of his record and demeaning of his character.
Yet the advertising also has paid some attention to presenting Murphy’s background as a girl whose family escaped Vietnam in a boat lift, and who rose to success. The latest poll, according to the DCCC, shows people are getting to know her, with 47 percent of voters saying they are familiar with her and her story, up from 34 percent in September.
The new survey also shows Murphy holding a strong lead among independents, 54 percent to 36 percent.
CD 7 was redrawn last year to become far less of a Republican stronghold, increasing the numbers of Democratic and independent voters. The district covers Seminole County and north-central and northeast Orange County.
