Levine, Graham tied for first in Florida, new poll shows

By Marc Caputo

MIAMI — The Democratic gubernatorial primary looks like a tie race now between Gwen Graham and Philip Levine, according to a new poll that indicates the third and fourth-place challengers are siphoning support from the leaders and making the campaign harder to predict.

The SEA Strategic Polling & Design survey of 669 Florida Democrats shows Levine with 26 percent support to Graham’s 25 percent, followed by Andrew Gillum (18 percent), Jeff Greene (13 percent) and Chris King (3 percent). The poll’s margin of error is 3.79 points.

Gillum, Tallahassee’s mayor, has shown the most growth — 3 percentage points — since SEA’s last poll of the race in mid-August. Graham saw a point of growth, Levine lost a point and Greene and King have been stagnant. A number of recent polls have shown Graham with more of a lead heading into the Aug. 28 primary.

Gillum and Graham, a former congresswoman who is also from Tallahassee, are probably pulling from the same set of voters, while Greene and Levine — both independently wealthy Jewish men from South Florida — have also drawn from the same base of support, said SEA pollster Tom Eldon.

But while Greene appears to have stalled and has stopped negative advertising against Levine and Graham, Gillum has shown the most momentum in the race after attracting only 11 percent support in June.

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