Poll shows Marco Rubio with modest lead on Val Demings

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio should win a third term in the Senate, according to polling firm Victory Insights. But even a week out from the election, his lead over Democrat Val Demings falls within polling’s margin of error.

The pollster, which has an office in Naples, finds almost 50% of likely Florida voters plan to vote for Rubio in the General Election. Under 46% intend to support Demings. Nearly 5% remain undecided, but if those numbers prove true, Demings would need to bring in all those voters and then would win only by inches.

Ultimately, simulations run by the company predict Rubio will come out ahead by 4 percentage points.

But the incumbent’s lead falls well within the poll’s 4.8-percentage-point margin of error.

Pollsters conducted the survey between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, closing responses a week before Election Day. A total of 500 individuals’ results were included. The sample is based on a Republican-leaning electorate, with 43% Republican respondents, 38% Democrat and 19% no-party or third-party voters.