Poll: Wealthy newcomers lead in Fla. primary races

By BRENT KALLESTAD Associated Press Writer

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A new poll suggests Florida voters may be ready for new blood.

Political newcomer Rick Scott has a double-digit lead over Attorney General Bill McCollum in their Republican gubernatorial primary battle, while South Florida billionaire Jeff Greene leads U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek in the race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. That's according to a Quinnipiac (quin-eh-PEE'-ock) University poll released Thursday.

Scott received 43 percent support, compared with to McCollum's 32 percent in a random telephone sampling of 760 likely GOP voters conducted last week.

Greene was favored by 33 percent of 782 likely Democratic voters, while 23 percent supported Meek.

The margin of error was plus-or-minus 3.6 percentage points among Republicans and 3.5 percentage points for Democrats.