Charlie Crist Solidifies Lead in Florida Senate Race

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, waging a campaign as an independent for Florida's open senate seat, has moved out to a strong lead in the state's three-way race, no matter who the Democratic nominee is, according to a poll conducted July 24-28 for New York Times-owned newspapers.

This latest survey has Crist ahead of Rubio by 41 percent to 30 percent with 12 percent for Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek. The race is a little closer if billionaire Jeff Greene wins the Democratic nomination later this month, with Crist leading Rubio 37 percent to 29 percent with 16 percent for Greene. The margin of error is 4 points.

The other recent polls of the Senate race:

- A Quinnipiac University poll conducted July 22-29 had Crist 6 points ahead of Rubio with Meek in the race and 5 points ahead if the Democrat was Greene.

- A Rasmussen Reports poll conducted July 21 had Crist and Rubio in a statistical tie no matter which Democrat was the nominee.

- A Public Policy Polling survey conducted July 16-18 had Crist 8 or 9 points ahead of Rubio depending on the Democrat.

The poll for the Times' papers said that 46 percent of Democrats were undecided about whether they would support Meek or Greene in the August 24 primary and that voters who did not know enough about either to have an opinion totalled 55 percent for Greene and 61 percent for Meek.

The Quinnipiac poll has Greene ahead of Meek by 33 percent to 25 percent with 35 percent undecided.

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