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Florida: Democratic Poll Shows Allen West Tied With Patrick Murphy

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

A poll released Thursday by Congressional candidate Patrick Murphy (D) found him tied with Republican Rep. Allen West 45 percent to 45 percent in a horse-race matchup. Ten percent of the likely voters polled were undecided. Murphy is challenging West in Florida’s newly configured 18th district.

The survey conducted by longtime Florida pollster Keith Frederick found that West, one of the 112th Congress’ most outspoken Members, has 83 percent name recognition in the district. The polling memo released publicly did not include Murphy’s name ID. Both decided to run for the newly-configured seat after redistricting; both were previously running in Florida’s 22nd district.

The survey found presumptive GOP White House nominee Mitt Romney leading President Barack Obama in the district. In a ballot test, Romney led with 49 percent to Obama’s 46 percent. Four percent were undecided.

The West campaign blasted the poll.

“Murphy is trying to show himself as viable to keep the checks from [House Minority Leader Nancy] Pelosi coming, but this ‘poll’ is just a pathetic commentary on Patrick Murphy and the campaign he is running,” emailed West campaign manager Tim Edson. “If he is going to concoct poll numbers, he should at least show himself in the lead.”

The poll used a voter list to randomly survey 500 likely voters in the district on landlines and cellphones with live interviewers. The poll sample was 39 percent Republican, 36 percent Democratic and 25 percent independent. The survey was in the field May 6-8 and had a margin of error of 4.3 points.

Read the full memo here:

[scribd id=93259019 key=key-1y4pbgvibqzfl7v4xc5y mode=list]

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