While Democrats remain optimistic about their ability to flip the House of Representatives in November, polling obtained exclusively by the Washington Reporter shows that Florida’s open 2nd District is unlikely to be on the table.
Keith Gross, one of the leading Republicans in the race to succeed Rep. Neal Dunn (R., Fla.) released polling that showed him easily defeating all of the Democratic candidates in the race. Gross is best-positioned to defeat the Democrats’ 2024 nominee in the district, Yen Bailey. In that matchup, Gross wins by 27.1 percent; Gross has 62.2 percent of support compared to Bailey’s 35.1 percent support in the poll conducted by Patriot Polling.
The Democrats’ most competitive candidate, Nic Zateslo, is still losing by almost 20 percent to Gross. In that matchup, Gross has 58.5 percent support compared to Zateslo’s 39.1 percent. Gross also beats Amanda Green by 23.8 percent and Brice Barnes by 20.8 percent in Patriot Polling’s findings; the poll surveyed 922 likely general election voters. Despite the Democrats’ strength in Leon County, Gross’s margins everywhere else in the district are enough to give him a lead among both male and female voters in every matchup.
“My Republican opponents spend their time launching desperate personal attacks because they have no record of achievement, no accomplishments to run on, and no winning argument for the future,” Gross said of the poll’s findings. “I’m spending my time meeting with voters across North Florida and preparing to defeat the Democrats in November so I can fight alongside President Trump to advance the America First agenda our communities voted for.”
“I served this country in uniform,” Gross added. “I built successful businesses from the ground up. I spent my career defending the Constitution. They’ve spent this campaign talking about me. I’ve spent this campaign talking about you.”
Gross’s poll showing him leading the Democratic field follows separate polling conducted by Cygnal that has him leading the crowded GOP field as well. Gross will have all the resources he needs in the race’s home stretch, following millions of dollars of self-funding. Gross ended the most recent fundraising quarter with over $5 million cash on hand.
