New survey shows Florida voters may prefer Republican stances on major issues

A new survey published this week showed that voters on the ground in Florida may favor Republican candidates’ stances on issues the voters say are most important to them.

The survey, conducted by the University of South Florida, found that voters in Florida appear to be more focused on economic issues over social issues as the midterm election approaches in only a few days.

Of the 600 eligible Florida voters surveyed, most of them pointed to inflation as their top issue of concern heading into the midterms. 

The survey showed Republican candidates are favored by Floridian voters on economic issues, which may indicate good news for Republican candidates in the Sunshine State.

Other top issues for voters included the economy, jobs, abortion, and violent crime/gun rights.

As of Saturday, incumbent Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is facing off against former governor Charlie Crist, had a significant lead in polling, surging ahead of Crist by almost ten points.

The two faced off in their one and only public debate this week, facing off on issues like the response to Hurricane Ian, the economy, and the GOP agenda.

Crist attempted to get DeSantis to commit to a full four-year term, a nod to DeSantis’ rumored plans to run for president in 2024. The incumbent governor would not verbally commit to a full term, refusing to give a specific answer to the question.