A Rasmussen Reports poll released Wednesday finds U.S. Rep. Connie Mack -- the heavy favorite to win the Republican nomination -- with a solid lead over Democrat incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in Florida.
The poll of likely voters finds 46 percent backing Mack, while Nelson lags behind with 37 percent. While 10 percent are undecided, 7 percent say they support other candidates in the race. Other polls have shown a closer contest; however, a poll from conservative-leaning Rasmussen in April had the numbers reversed, with Nelson taking 47 percent and Mack trailing with 36 percent.
According to the poll, despite Nelson's four decades on the Florida political stage, he is having a hard time keeping his base intact, getting only 66 percent of Democrats surveyed. While Mack faces a primary on Aug. 14 against former U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon and businessman and retired Army officer Mike McCalister, he does better in the poll with his base, as 86 percent of Republicans support him over Nelson. Nelson does better with independents, beating Mack by 9 percent with those voters.
