The new Rasmussen poll of the Florida gubernatorial race — a snap poll taken right after independent candidate Bud Chiles dropped out and endorsed Democratic nominee Alex Sink yesterday — shows that the two-way race is as tight as can be.
The initial numbers give Republican nominee Rick Scott a lead of 45%-44%. After leaners were pushed, it’s Sink who has a one-point edge of 48%-47%. The survey of likely voters has a ±4% margin of error. This is the first poll of a two-way general election race since June.
The survey would seem to suggest that Chiles’s withdrawal has provided a small boost to Sink. In the previous survey from last week, Scott led Sink and Chiles by 41%-36%-8% on initial preferences. After undecided voters were pushed, as well as Chiles voters — on the rationale that supporters of minor candidates often break away to a major candidate on election day — Scott led by 45%-42%-4%. So for now at least, Sink has either narrowed the gap or perhaps even taken a small lead thanks to Chiles quitting the race.
