A majority of Florida voters support a path to citizenship while there is greater awareness in the state of the immigration proposal backed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) than the one outlined (and subsequently amended) by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), according to a poll released Wednesday.
The latest poll from Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling found 53 percent of Sunshine State voters saying they support legislation that would allow a means for illegal immigrants already living in the country to become citizens while 31 percent said they would oppose such a proposal.
One of the leading Republican voices on the issue of immigration reform, Bush had previously expressed support for a path to citizenship until the release of his book earlier this month revealed that he had taken the opposite position. Then, in a swift and surreal turnabout, he reverted back to his original position the same week (TPM compiled a timeline of Bush’s flip-flop-flip).
Fittingly, PPP’s latest found that a huge majority of Florida voters — 57 percent — are unsure of Bush’s stance on immigration. Twenty-one percent said they support his position while 22 percent said they are opposed. Rubio’s proposal, one that has the support of a bipartisan group of Senators, is slightly better known among Florida voters. Thirty-one percent said they favor Rubio’s stance on immigration while 27 percent said they are opposed and a plurality of 42 percent said they are unsure.
