Reporters Notebook

Voters Back Florida Businessmen over Politicians

Political newcomers are staging some upsets in a pair of hotly-contested Florida races, according to a Quinnipiac University poll out this morning.

Naples businessman Rick Scott has opened up an 11 point lead on Attorney General Bill McCollum in the GOP Governor's primary.

South Florida billionaire Jeff Greene has also leap frogged a political veteran, taking a 10 point lead of his own over Congressman Kendrick Meek in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Both cases, polling director Peter Brown says, highlight a national anti-incumbent, anti-establishment wave washing over many voters.

"If there was any doubt that enough money can make a political unknown into a front- runner, the Democratic Senate primary and the Republican primary for governor should lay them to rest," Brown said.

Both Scott and Greene are self-financing their campaigns, outspending their opponents and buying a ton of on-air commercials in the largest media markets in the state.

"Anything can happen in the interim, but since their opponents are unlikely to outspend them down the home stretch, they are both in enviable positions," Brown added.

In the Governor's race, Scott leads McCollum 43-32. The lead, however, is not as solid as the numbers show. Twenty-three percent of GOP voters are still undecided and 43 percent say they could still change their minds before the August 24th primary.

Greene leads Meek 33-23 in the Senate primary, but 35 percent of voters are still undecided and more than 50 percent say they could change their minds.

Regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, they will start from behind in the general election. Recent polls show neither Greene nor Meek playing much of a factor in a three-way race against Republican Marco Rubio and Independent Governor Charlie Crist in November.



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