David Jolly, the Democratic candidate for governor in Florida, is reportedly leading among independent voters according to a recent poll conducted by Hart Research Associates. The poll, which was conducted in the days leading up to the state's primary elections, indicates that Jolly has a double-digit lead over Republican candidate Byron Donalds among nonaffiliated voters, with 48% supporting Jolly compared to 37% for Donalds, and only 11% of independents undecided.
In a hypothetical general election matchup, the poll shows Jolly leading Donalds by one percentage point, 46% to 45%, with 9% undecided. Earlier polling had indicated Donalds leading Jolly by 5 points, according to the RealClearPolitics average of two polls.
The issue of data centers has emerged as a significant topic in the gubernatorial race, with Jolly advocating for a moratorium on large-scale industrial campuses, while Donalds supports their construction with considerations for environmental protection. The poll revealed that 76% of independents expressed major doubts about supporting Donalds due to concerns over his support for data centers and associated tax breaks.
Although Donalds has not explicitly called for new tax breaks for data centers, his campaign has received contributions from AI companies. He asserts that these donations do not influence his position on data centers.
Jolly, who previously served as a Republican congressman, has identified as unaffiliated since leaving the GOP in 2018, citing a lack of alignment with the party's values. Despite his current support among independents, he faces challenges in the gubernatorial race, particularly given Florida's recent political trends favoring Republican candidates, including Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis.
The Hart Research Associates poll was conducted between August 10 and 13, surveying 600 likely voters with a margin of error of 4 percentage points. Hart Research Associates has been recognized as a reputable polling organization since its establishment in 1971.