In the Republican primary to succeed Katherine Harris in Congressional District 13, Tramm Hudson is touting an internal poll showing him with a 12-point lead. The Tarrance Group, Hudson's pollster, surveyed 300 likely GOP primary voters Aug. 2-3. They found Hudson backed by 45 percent, Vern Buchanan backed by 23 percent, Nancy Detert by 10 percent, Mark Flanagan by 8 percent, Donna Clarke by 7 percent, and 18 percent undecided. The margin of error was plus or minus 5.8 percent.

Pollster Dave Sackett said in a memo that Hudson's favorability rating is six points higher than Buchanan's and that Hudson enjoys a favorable/unfavorable ratio of five to one, compared to two to one for Buchanan.