Poll: Neck and Neck Race for Charlie Crist’s Seat in Florida’s 13th District

The race for outgoing Rep. Charlie Crist’s (D-FL) seat in Florida’s 13th Congressional District is neck and neck as the top Republican and Democrat candidates are polling close, a recent David Binder Research/Progress Pinellas survey found.

Democratic nominee Eric Lynn is running to replace Crist in the district. Crist is vying to challenge Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in this year’s gubernatorial race. District frontrunner Anna Paulina Luna, whom former President Donald Trump endorsed, is polling close to the Democrat, as just two points separate them.

According to the survey, 45 percent support Lynn, followed closely by Luna, who trails with 43 percent support. Their difference is within the survey’s +/- 4 percent margin of error. More than three-quarters of candidates said they would strongly support an individual “who will keep politicians and the government out of people’s personal decisions on abortion and who they marry.” However, Luna’s team is questioning the validity of the survey.

“This ‘poll’ refuses to disclose its partisan splits because it’s a fake poll,” Luna consultant James Blair said, according to Florida Politics.

“The pollster has called 33% of races correctly, according to Nate Silver/538. The District went Trump +7 points in 2022. It has a 31,000+ and growing Republican voter registration advantage,” Blair added, predicting that Luna will ultimately “stomp Eric Lynn,” referencing another survey showing Luna leading Lynn by nine percent.

Indeed, Republicans across the state are continuing to grow their advantage over Democrats statewide, as registered Republicans now outnumber registered Democrats by 200,000 voters.

“Loaded polls are a tool of shady consultants and failed campaigns that want to mislead their donors,” Blair added:

Trump endorsed Luna, an Air Force veteran, in September 2021, deeming her an America First candidate who is “committed to strong border, serving our Veterans, and ensuring Florida’s beautiful coastlines are protected.”

Trump also identified the district as particularly important, serving as a “key” to taking back the House:

The Sunshine State’s primaries take place August 23.