WORRISOME NEWS FOR DAVIS WITH JUST OVER FIVE WEEKS TO GO

The latest Zogby International poll conducted for the Miami Herald shows Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist with a 21-point lead over Democratic challenger Jim Davis, even larger than another recent poll showed.

Crist was favoured among 51 percent of the 803 likely voters who responded to the telephone survey conducted last Tuesday through Thursday, compared with 30 percent for Davis. Sixteen percent of the respondents stated they were undecided. The margin of error is 3.5 percent.

One-third of the respondents said they were not familiar with Davis, a Tampa Bay area congressman. Crist, who has a huge advantage in financial backing, has dominated the airwaves throughout Florida with ads paid for not only by his campaign but with "soft money" from the Republican Party of Florida. Davis' campaign has yet to being it's television effort, but officials say that it would begin "soon".

The results maginify to a greater extent an Orlando Sentinel poll released last Tuesday and conducted September 20-22 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, which showed Crist ahead 51-36 percent with 11 percent undecided and two percent supporting one of the independent or write-in candidates who will appear on the ballot.

The Florida Democratic Party and Davis' campaign need 1) a heavy infusion of donations and 2) to get on the air immediately if the challenger wants his campaign to be considered truly viable. A number of Democrats are now concerned because Davis' lack of exposure on television could also pose a negative effect on other Democratic candidates in district and statewide races.