Advertisement

Poll shows slight lead for Janet Cruz, but Dana Young has more money

The poll, done by the Democratic-oriented Anzalone Liszt Grove Research, shows Cruz leading 44-42 percent with “leaners” included. The live-caller poll sampled 515 voters for an error margin of 4.3 points.
Janet Cruz is challenging Dana Young for her state Senate seat from Tampa. [YouTube]
Janet Cruz is challenging Dana Young for her state Senate seat from Tampa. [YouTube]
Published Oct. 20, 2018

A poll commissioned by the Florida Democratic Party shows Democrat Janet Cruz with a narrow lead, less than the error margin, in her hard-fought campaign to unseat Republican state Sen. Dana Young of Tampa.

The poll, done by the Democratic-oriented Anzalone Liszt Grove Research, shows Cruz leading 44-42 percent with "leaners" included. The live-caller poll sampled 515 voters for an error margin of 4.3 points.

Polling analyst Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com shows the polling firm leaning 3.6 points Democratic in another state race.

Cruz, state House Democratic minority leader, has run a tough negative campaign against Young, who won the seat in 2016 after three House terms. Cruz accuses Young in mailers of voting to underfund public schools and kowtowing to the National Rifle Association.

State Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, faces a challenge from Democrat Janet Cruz.  [Times files]
State Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa, faces a challenge from Democrat Janet Cruz. [Times files]
But Young has a huge fundraising lead and is responding with TV ads accusing Cruz of failing to pay property taxes and voting against a constitutional amendment to cut property taxes on homesteads.