POLL: DeSantis and Gillum locked in dead heat

Florida’s primary elections are a week behind us, and the race to become the next governor of Florida is by far the most hotly contested in the nation.

President Trump will need the governor’s mansion to win Florida in 2020.

The cage match between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum is a virtual tie.

Gillum’s surprising win on election night over Gwen Graham and Philip Levine has given him a nice boost, but that favorability will surely settle in the days and weeks to come.

The latest Quinnipiac shows Gillum with 50 percent to 47 percent lead over DeSantis. It’s too close to call.

There are wide gender and racial gaps, as men back DeSantis 52 - 45 percent, while women back Gillum 55 - 42 percent, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds. White voters go Republican by a narrow 52 - 45 percent, as black voters go Democratic 93 - 2 percent. Hispanic voters go 56 percent for DeSantis and 43 percent for Gillum. 

Republicans back DeSantis 92 - 6 percent, as Democrats back Gillum 93 - 3 percent. Independent voters go to Gillum 55 - 42 percent. 

Among Florida likely voters who name a candidate choice, 94 percent say their mind is made up. 

Gillum gets a 46 - 33 percent favorability rating, while DeSantis gets a split 45 - 43 percent favorability rating. 

Florida likely voters give President Donald Trump a slightly negative 47 - 51 percent job approval rating. 

"Mayor Andrew Gillum came out of his upset victory in the Florida Democratic primary with a head of steam," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. 

"That momentum shows itself as Gillum hits 50 percent in a neck-and-neck match-up with Republican U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis for the four-year lease on the governor's mansion." 

"Neither man was well-known before their primaries, but since then the race has become a center of political attention in the state." -Q Poll