SORRY FLORIDA, BUT HIS WHOLE COUNTRY NEEDS HIM:

Nelson leads (PPP, 12/21/10)

Bill Nelson is unusually popular with Republicans and independents and would start out in a good position for reelection- unless Jeb Bush made a surprise decision to run against him. [...]

Nelson's going to start out as a decently strong favorite if any of those folks are the GOP nominee but it would be a different story if Jeb Bush got into the race. Bush continues to be well liked in the state, sporting a 51/40 favorability. Bush is universally popular with the Republican base, is unusually popular with Democrats at a 29% favorability, and is on positive ground with independents as well. In a hypothetical contest with Nelson he leads 49-44, taking a pretty substantial 23% of the Democratic vote and holding Nelson to a four point advantage with independents in contrast to the wide margins he has over the other contenders.

It would be a tragedy to waste his leadership qualities and experience in a legislature.

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 22, 2010 5:51 AM