Poll shows Gov Desantisâ approval rating up, strength of re-election bid Share Updated: 11:14 PM EST Mar 2, 2021 Kaitlyn Burman Share Updated: 11:14 PM EST Mar 2, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript RACE. TODD? TODD: THE RESULTS ARE FROM A PHONE SURVEY BY MASON-DIXO POLLING AND STRATEGY OF 625 REGISTERED FLORIDA VOTERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE DURING THE LAST WEEK OF FEBRUARY. THAT WAS LAST WEEK. FIRST, A LOOK AT GOVERNOR RON DESANTISâ APPROVAL RATING. 53% OF FLORIDIANS APPROVE OF THE JOB HE IS DOING. THATâS UP EIGHT FULL POINTS FROM JULY OF 2020. BUT LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT OUR AREA OF SOUTHEAST FLORIDA, INCLUDING ALL OUR LOCAL COUNTIES, AND BROWARD AND MIAMI-DADE, THE GOVERNORâS APPROVAL RATING DROPS TO ONLY 34%. THATâS THE LOWEST IN THE STATE. A SECOND POLL PITS THE GOVERNOR AGAINST TWO MAJOR DEMOCRATIC CONTENDERS WHO MAY FACE HIM NEXT YEAR. THEY ARE STATE AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER NIKKI FRIED, AND FORMER GOVERNOR AND CURREN U.S. CONGRESSMAN CHARLIE CRIST. THE POLL GIVES DECISIVE VICTORIES TO THE INCUMBENT GOVERNOR AGAINST EITHER DEMOCRAT IF THE ELECTION WERE HELD NOW, GOVERNOR DESANTIS WOULD DEFEAT COMMISSIONER FRIED BY NINE POINTS, 51% TO 42%. HEAD TO HEAD VERSUS CONGRESSMAN CRIST, ITâS AN 11-POINT WIN FOR THE GOVERNOR, 52% TO 41 CRIST SERVED AS GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA FROM 2007 TO 2011. THESE POLLING NUMBERS REPRESENT RESPONSES FROM 40% DEMOCRATS, 40% REPUBLICANS AND 20 INDEPENDENTS. THAT IS KEY. VOTERS ARE SPLIT ALONG PARTY LINES, BUT GOVERNOR DESANTIS HAS A LEAD OF APPROXIMATELY POINTS AGAINST EITHER DEMOCRAT AMONG INDEPENDENTS. THE POLLâS MARGIN OF ER