Quinnipiac Poll Continues to Give Davis the Edge in the Governor's Race Over His Democrat and Republican Rivals

The latest Qunnipiac Poll continues to show Tampa Congressman Jim Davis leading both his Democratic rival, Sen. Rod Smith, and Republican candidates, CFO Tom Gallagher and Attorney General Charlie Crist.

Davis holds a substantial, 21 point lead over Smith, but with 41% still undecided.

His lead over Gallagher and and Crist are narrower, three point leads, with 20% and 19% undecided, respectively. The three point lead is within the margin of error.

Both GOP candidates still have significant advantages in fundraising and a wide, though narrowing, advantage in name recognition.

Some of the credit for Davis' lead ought to go to President Bush's dismal, 36% approval ratings among Florida voters, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

A Strategic Vision Poll completed in around the same gave both GOP candidates narrow leads over Davis - a eight point lead for Crist (just outside the margin of error) and a one point lead for Gallagher (within the margin of error). An earlier Strategic Vision poll, completed in late April, had similar results.