Republicans Vern Buchanan, Gus Bilirakis Holding Leads in Florida, New Polls Show

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Florida Daily
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elections ahead

National Democrats are increasingly looking at trying to take Florida Republican U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan and Gus Bilirakis down in November but new polls show both incumbents in good shape.

Saint Pete’s Polls looked at both races for Florida Politics and found the two Republicans with substantial leads over the top Democrats.

Buchanan takes 44 percent while Democrat David Shapiro gets 34.5 percent with 21.5 percent of those surveyed undecided.

The poll shows Buchanan above water with 44 percent of those surveyed seeing him as favorable while 38 percent see him as unfavorable with the rest not sure. Shapiro is less known with 34 percent seeing him in a favorable light while 29 percent see him as unfavorable.

The poll of 681 likely Florida voters in CD 16 was taken on July 28 and had a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percent.

Bilirakis holds an even larger lead, taking 49 percent over Democrat Chris Hunter, a former federal prosecutor and FBI agent, who pulls 30 percent with the rest of the voters undecided.

A majority of those surveyed–51 percent–see Bilirakis as favorable while 28 percent see him as unfavorable with the rest not sure. A majority of those surveyed–59 percent–are not sure about Hunter while 25 percent see him as favorable and 16 percent see him as unfavorable.

The poll of 615 likely Florida voters in CD 12 was taken on July 28 and had a margin of error of +/- 4.0 percent.

The races have garnered more attention lately with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) putting Shapiro in its “Red to Blue” program earlier in the month.

Last week, “Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball” shifted the odds in Buchanan’s race from “Likely Republican” to “Leans Republican.”

 

Kevin Derby can be reached at Kevin.Derby@floridadaily.com.

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