A new poll finds no clear front-runner between President Donald Trump and certain potential Democratic nominees in the November 2020 general elections in Florida.
Michael Bloomberg was the only Democratic candidate to have a meaningful lead over Trump in the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab Poll that was done in conjunction with First Coast News.
Related: Read the poll in its entirety
When Bloomberg is paired against Trump, 50% of respondents indicated they would vote for Bloomberg while only 44% indicated a vote for Trump.
When paired against Elizabeth Warren, Trump and Warren both had 47%. Between Trump and Pete Buttigieg, 49% indicated they would vote for Trump, while 45% said they would vote for Buttigieg.
In a head to head between Joe Biden and Trump, Biden edged Trump 49% to 48%. Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump were tied at 48% each.
When paired against Amy Klobuchar, Trump received 48% and Klobuchar received 44%.
“Apart from Bloomberg’s lead, the other top candidates for the Democratic party are either tied or losing to Trump,” said Michael Binder, director of the Public Opinion Research Lab, in an email to WJCT News.
However, the poll was taken before Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas, which marked Bloomberg’s first debate appearance, which critics panned as rocky.
NPR News said of Bloomberg’s Wednesday night performance: "Bloomberg, 78, hasn't debated in 11 years, and it showed. He was off balance now and again, and had a hard time defending himself, especially when it came to his past comments about women and non-disclosure agreements with some of his employees."
Related: 6 Takeaways From The Nevada Democratic Debate
The UNF/FCN poll also asked voters to give Trump and Florida Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott a job approval rating. Voters scored Trump at 47% approval and 51% disapproval.
Among Republicans, Trump had 87% approval, with 14% of Democrats approving. Rubio managed a slightly higher job approval rating, with 49% saying they approve and 36% disapproving of the job he is doing as U.S. senator.
Rubio’s approval among Republicans is 77%, compared to 23% among Democrats, the poll found.
Freshman Sen. Rick Scott got a 44% job approval rating, while 36% disapproved.
Seventy-four percent of Republicans approve of the job Scott is doing, while only 19% of Democrats approve of Scott.
“The high level of partisan polarization in Florida is highlighted by the gulf in Trump’s job approval when split between Republicans and Democrats. Following the impeachment trial, Republicans are still firmly behind the president, and Trump is seeing some of his highest job approval ratings of his presidency, not only here in Florida, but nationally,” Binder said.
Pollsters interviewed 725 registered Florida voters between February 10 and 18. UNF said the poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.6%.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
