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Florida Voters Split On Stimulus, Like Obama

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By CATHERINE DOLINSKI

cdolinski@tampatrib.com

Published: February 20, 2009

A majority of Florida voters like President Barack Obama even though they aren't sure that the stimulus plan he pushed through Congress will work and don't think it will help them personally.

Obama got a 64 percent job approval from Florida voters polled by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute this month, almost as high as Gov. Charlie Crist's 67 percent.

"Obama certainly has made a good first impression," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the institute. "The question is whether he can sustain these levels, as has Crist."

The poll surveyed 1,001 Florida voters from Feb. 11 through Monday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Crossover and independent voters are the keys to high approval ratings for both Obama and Crist, Brown said.

"It's not surprising that when the Democratic president came to Florida to tout his economic program, the Republican governor was at his side. Both men are trying to cultivate the political middle."
Florida voters were divided on whether Obama's stimulus package will turn around the national economy. Fifty-one percent were "very confident" or "somewhat confident" the plan will make a real difference, and 49 percent are "not too confident" or "not confident at all."

Sixty percent said they think the stimulus plan will not help them personally.

Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at (850) 222-8382.

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