Staff Reports
Alex Diaz de la Portilla has a 36-point lead over Jose Felix Diaz in Senate District 40, according to a recent poll.
The poll — which was first reported by Marc Caputo of POLITICO Florida — was conducted from May 23 through May 24, and paid for by Diaz de la Portilla’s campaign. The survey polled 400 likely Republican voters, 75 percent of which were Hispanic.
According to the poll, 48 percent of respondents said they would pick Diaz de la Portilla, compared to 12 percent who said they would back Diaz. Lorenzo Palomares received 10 percent support. The poll found 30 percent of the respondents were undecided.
In a head-to-head match-up, the poll showed Diaz de la Portilla would receive 55 percent support, while Diaz would receive 14 percent. In that scenario, 31 percent of voters said they were undecided.
A former state senator, Diaz de la Portilla is well-known in the community and is a veteran of tough campaigns. While he has significant name recognition, Diaz, a well-respected state representative, is expected to raise a significant amount of money and have the backing of many of his colleagues.
The three men are vying to replace Sen. Frank Artiles, who resigned earlier this year amid scandal, in Senate District 40. The special primary election is July 25, followed by a special general election on Sept. 26.
