Fla. poll shows Mack within five points of Nelson in Senate showdown

{mosads}Friday’s poll showed that Nelson was benefiting from strong support in the Democratic base, pulling 86 percent of black voters and 52 percent of women. Mack, conversely, banked half of white voters and 48 percent of men.

Interestingly, Mack actually posted a 1-point advantage among Hispanics. Florida’s high Cuban population means its Hispanic electorate is routinely more conservative than nationwide averages.

Nelson could also be benefiting from higher name recognition, with 88 percent of Florida voters saying they had an opinion of the candidate, versus 82 percent for Mack. The Republican also has more leeway to be defined, with four in 10 saying they had a neutral opinion of his candidacy, versus less than a quarter who said the same for Nelson.