The first poll of Ron DeSantis’ approval numbers after his administration walked back the controversial Great Outdoors Initiative to bring development and resort-style amenities to state parks is a mixed bag.
The Emerson College Poll of 815 likely voters conducted Sept. 3-5 shows DeSantis at less than 50% approval.
His 47% favorable number and 45% disapproval are particularly remarkable given the GOP lean of the sample, which is 39% Republican and 32% Democrat.
To put DeSantis’ middling approval numbers in perspective, his +2 matches Donald Trump, who is at 51% to 49%. Kamala Harris, at 49% to 51%, is slightly underwater.
DeSantis closed out August by denying his administration had any interest in advancing the parks proposal, which was announced by the Department of Environmental Protection on Primary Election Day by way of setting up now-cancelled informational meetings on the subject in eight places at once a week later.
“A lot of that stuff was just half-baked and it was not ready for prime time when it was,” he claimed. “And it was intentionally leaked out to a left-wing group to try to create a narrative.”
Other evidence exists of DeSantis’ diminished political capital from August’s elections.
Out of DeSantis’ 23 endorsed School Board candidates, voters rejected 11 outright. Six others failed to get majority support, meaning they must face a General Election runoff. Meanwhile, seven of the 11 Florida Democratic Party (FDP)-supported School Board candidates won their Primaries statewide.
He said he didn’t have time to help his preferred candidates.
“I will confess, in ’22 we had a whole operation dedicated to this and we did a lot of resources and we had all that,” DeSantis said last month. “I wasn’t in a position to do that this time, at least for the Primary. Maybe we’ll help in the General because I’ve got all these other things I’ve got to do.”
He mentioned his work then trying to defeat “these amendments that they’re doing,” DeSantis said, referring to the recreational pot or the amendment to protect abortion access.
Both the pot legalization initiative and the reproductive rights push are more popular than he is, per Emerson.
“Regarding the Florida ballot measure to provide a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability, 55% would vote ‘yes’ in support, 26% plan to vote ‘no’, and 20% are unsure. Support for the measure to legalize marijuana surpasses the 60% threshold: 64% plan to vote ‘yes’ while 27% plan to vote ‘no’.”
To be added to the state constitution, the ballot initiatives must receive 60% support at the polls.
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