Poll: Darren Soto leads Alan Grayson 45%-38% in CD 9 race

Darren Soto and Alan Grayson make CD 9 one of the more interesting races in 2018.

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto leads former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, his predecessor and challenger in the Democratic primary for Florida’s 9th Congressional District, according to a poll announced Wednesday night by Spectrum 13 News in Orlando.

The poll was announced at the start of a debate Wednesday night in Kissimmee by Spectrum 13 News anchors Eric Levy and Ybeth Bruzual, who said the station commissioned the poll.

Its results: Soto drew 45 percent and Grayson 38 percent, with 17 percent undecided heading toward the Aug. 28 primary, the station announced. The poll surveyed 875 registered Democrats and showed a margin of error of 4.4 percent.

Grayson immediately took issue with the poll, declaring, “We’ve polled people who have already voted. Among people who have already voted I have an eight-point lead. So that shows voters prefer me, and non-voters favor my opponent.”

The two are battling in one of the most hostile primary fights in the state, and the debate Thursday night began with them immediately going after each other.

The poll also cited the economy [20 percent,] education [19,] and immigration [16,] topping the list of concerns among Democrats polled in CD 9, followed by national security [11.] Grayson complained that interest in impeaching President Donald Trump was not on the list.