Marco Rubio Leads Val Demings Less than Two Weeks from Election Day

Senator Marco Rubio, R-FL, speaks during a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Tran
Graeme Jennings / POOL / AFP) (Photo by GRAEME JENNINGS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is leading Democrat challenger Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) less than two weeks from Election Day, a recent Data for Progress survey found.

The survey showed Rubio enjoying a positive approval rating among likely Florida voters— 49 percent viewing him favorably and 45 percent viewing up unfavorably. 

Democrat Val Demings is also above water, as 41 percent view her favorably, and 39 percent do not. However, she appears to lack name recognition; 20 percent said they “haven’t heard enough to say.” For comparison, just five percent said they had not heard enough about Rubio to offer an opinion. 

Nevertheless, when asked to reveal who they would vote for if the U.S. Senate race were held today, Rubio held the clear advantage, garnering 51 percent support to Demings’ 44 percent. Just two percent said they remain unsure. 

While Demings appears to hold an advantage among independent voters in this particular poll, Rubio leads among likely Latino voters. 

The survey, taken October 19-23, 2022, among 1,251 likely voters, has a +/- 3 percent margin of error. 

As of Thursday, Rubio’s RealClearPolitics (RCP) lead stood at 7.4 percent. 

This week, Rubio has brought attention to the vicious attack lodged against one of his canvassers in Florida, who was told by the attackers that Republicans were not allowed in their neighborhood. The assailants left the man battered with internal bleeding and requiring facial reconstruction surgery:

Two men have been arrested in connection with the attack — Jonathan Alexander Casanova and Javier Lopez. According to the victim, per the affidavit, “Defendant Casanova stated to him that he could not pass through because he was a Republican and his dogs were ready to attack”:

The victim further stated to avoid an altercation, he proceeded walk onto the street and attempted to walk around the defendants,” it reads, adding that Casanova “stated to him that he was not allowed to walk around his neighborhood and if he continued to do so he would shoot him.”

According to police, video surveillance corroborates the victim’s recollection of events:

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