A new poll from Ipsos, commissioned by the St. Petersburg Times, the Miami Herald, and Bay News 9, shows Gov. Charlie Crist (No party) leading Marco Rubio in his Senate race, 30 to 27 percent. Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek comes in a distant third with 15 percent.
Here’s what catches my eye:
* Crist, the incumbent governor, has no upside in terms of name recognition. Ninety-four percent of Floridians have already formed an opinion about him. Unfortunately, comparable numbers are not available for the other two candidates.
* Regarding Crist’s party-switch, the metric below might be the most important. Only 33 percent believe what Crist said about his own party switch — that it was a matter of principle. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he has a ceiling of 33 percent, but notice how this number is pretty close to his vote share, whereas his job approval rating (52 percent) is not.
| All adults | Democrats | Republicans | Independents | |
| Charlie Crist’s decision to leave the Republican Party was an act of principle because he is following his convictions. | 33 | 37 | 27 | 41 |
| Charlie Crist’s decision to leave the Republican Party was an opportunistic decision and is purely political | 47 | 42 | 54 | 40 |
