A new poll shows a two-man race between Oliver Gilbert and Shevrin Jones in the Democratic Primary to succeed U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson.
A St. Pete Polls survey commissioned by Florida Politics shows Gilbert, a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner, with the support of 27% of likely Democratic voters in Florida’s 24th Congressional District. Meanwhile, around 24% support Jones, a sitting state Senator.
No other candidate cracks 10% of the vote, though Kendrick Meek Jr., the son of former U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, comes just shy of that mark.
But museum director Marshall Davis and Dr. Rudolph Moise both boast just over 1%, and former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jane Monestime and former Wilson staffer Roderick Vereen fall short of that mark. All fall under the poll’s 5.6% margin of error.
The top three isn’t a huge surprise considering all have rallied significant endorsements since announcing. Wilson endorsed Gilbert as her preferred successor, as Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also sided with him. Gilbert also raised the most in outside contributions with $543,000 raised in the short time since Wilson announced her retirement and he entered the race.
Jones also has clocked a lengthy roster of major endorsers, including Broward County Property Appraiser Marty Kiar and County Commissioner Alexandra Davis, former Miami-Dade Commissioners Betty Ferguson and Barbara Jordan, West Park Mayor Felicia Brunson Pembroke Pines Mayor Angelo Castillo and Hollywood Mayor Josh Levy. He also has backing from the Miami AFL-CIO, United Teachers of Dade (UTD) and 314 Action, and the LGBTQ lawmaker has endorsements from groups like Equality PAC.
Meek has a few endorsements too, including from former U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning. He also has raised $487,000 but spent less than $67,000 as of the end of June. But that hasn’t translated so vividly to support on the ground.
Meanwhile, Jones has hundreds of volunteers and has made over 50,000 voter contacts. And of the $148,000 in fundraising he reported though June, has spent nearly $91,000 out of the gate. Gilbert has spent $301,000.
The poll shows more than a third of voters, 36%, remain undecided in the race.
It also shows 28% of men favoring Jones to Gilbert’s 25%, but almost 29% of women favor Gilbert compared to 21% who prefer Jones.
A quarter of voters under 30 like Jones, a group where no respondents supported Gilbert. Jones also leads 27% to Gilbert’s 25% with survey respondents between ages 30 through 49. But nearly 30% of all voters 50 and older prefer Gilbert.
