Former Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, set to challenge Senator Rick Scott for his seat in the upcoming elections, claimed that new polling numbers showing him with a net unfavorable rating illustrate her clear chances of beating.
She was making reference to a survey by USA Today/Suffolk University/WSVN, which showed that 49% of the 500 respondents (all likely voters) had an unfavorable view of Scott, compared to 35% approved of him. An additional 7% said they were undecided about how they felt.
"This is not the first poll that I've seen that Rick Scott is completely underwater. People know who he is across the state, and that's why they don't want to vote for him," she told the Florida Phoenix following the publication of the results.
She added that "the more money he puts into this race with his face on television, the more people see him and remember who he is and don't want to vote for him." "I recommend another strategy for him at this point. His brand has become toxic. If there's a Republican who's going to lose in Florida, it's Rick Scott."
However, Scott's campaign was quick to dismiss the statements, focusing on his consistent lead on the polls. "Every election, Florida Democrats say Rick Scott is in trouble, and every election they lose," said Will Hampson, a spokesperson for the Scott campaign. "Bring it on."
FiveThirtyEight's tracker indicates that the most recent survey, conducted in August by McLaughlin & Associates among 800 likely voters, has Scott with a 10-point advantage, the largest in months.
While previous surveys had been showing a narrowing gap over the past months, others did have Scott with a comfortable advantage. In mid-April, two polls showed the incumbent with a comfortable, double-digit lead. Both were conducted by the Florida Atlantic University's PolCom Lab/Mainstreet Research.
The one that interviewed registered voters showed Scott beating her rival by 52% to 35%, while the one among likely voters yielded a 53%-36% advantage for the Republican.
However, by mid-May a survey by YouGov among over 1,100 likely voters saw the gap reduce to the single digits, 45% to 37%. And two in early June already displayed a difference lower than five percentage points.
Regardless of polls, Mucarsell-Powell is intensifying her efforts. Her campaign recently kicked off a six-figure, Spanish-language radio ad throughout the state, her most expensive radio ad blitz so far, according to Axios. The ad describes Scott as a corrupt politician who threatens the electorate's freedoms.
Recalling her immigrant background, the ad goes: "Over thirty years ago, my mother brought my sisters and me from Ecuador in search of a better life, more opportunities and freedom. And that's why I'm running for the Senate."
"But today, corrupt politicians like Rick Scott have put our freedoms at risk. His economic plans increase our taxes, the cost of food, insurance, and housing. Less money and fewer rights mean less freedom. And the truth is... He won't stop. Unless we stop him. Because once they take away one freedom... they never stop there," it adds.
Scott's campaign, on its end, hit back at the Democrat, describing the ad as a "desperate move from a broke campaign scrambling to win a primary."
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