FAU Poll Finds Florida Gov. DeSantis and His Public Policy Priorities Riding a Wave of Popularity with Voters

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Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative

Mar 28, 2019, 12:02 ET

BOCA RATON, Fla., March 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to ride a wave of popularity among Florida voters, who also support many of his public policy priorities, including the importation of prescription drugs from Canada to reduce costs to Floridians and the creation of a task force to reduce the impact of harmful algae blooms, according to the statewide survey by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI).

DeSantis enjoys a 54 percent approval rating, up six points from last month's BEPI survey, with 19 percent disapproval and 27 percent of voters unsure about the new governor.

U.S. President Donald Trump's approval rating among Florida voters rose to 44 percent (up from 41 percent in the last poll), with 45 percent disapproval. However, when asked if they think Trump has any responsibility for the recent rise in hate crimes, more than half of Floridians surveyed believe he has some level of responsibility with 35 percent of Floridians saying he was very responsible and 20 percent saying he's somewhat responsible.

Importing prescription drugs from Canada to help lower costs to Floridians, included in legislation approved earlier this week by a state senate committee and a DeSantis proposal, won 75 percent support among survey respondents, with only 12 percent opposition.

DeSantis' proposal to create a task force to reduce the impact of harmful algae blooms was also widely popular among voters, with 63 percent support and 16 percent opposition. The expansion of school voucher programs for middle-income families, included in a bill recently passed by a Florida House panel, garnered 52 percent support and 29 percent opposition. Banning fracking to explore for oil and natural gas was also popular, with nearly half of those surveyed (49 percent) supporting a ban on all kinds of fracking in Florida, while 31 percent oppose a ban.

Floridians by a margin of 46 to 34 percent support banning sanctuary cities to prevent local governments from passing ordinances that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Allowing teachers to carry firearms on school property was opposed by 50 percent of those surveyed, while 38 percent approved.

The survey, which was conducted March 22-24, polled 500 Florida registered voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4.3 percentage points.

SOURCE Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative