DeSantis Is Less Popular Than Florida's Legal Cannabis Amendment: New Poll That Also Shows Biden Gaining On Trump

Two-thirds of Florida voters, including a majority of Republicans, are throwing their support behind Amendment 3, the marijuana legalization initiative that will appear on the November ballot.

According to a Thursday Fox News poll, the amendment enjoys greater popularity than Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who is actively campaigning against it.

The poll shows:

• 66% of voters favor the marijuana initiative.
• It surpasses the 60% threshold required to amend the state constitution.
• Support for legalization is strongest among Democrats at 76%, followed by independents at 71% and Republicans at a healthy 57%.

The only demographic not in majority support are seniors aged 65 and older.

"Floridians want and deserve the same right to consume recreational marijuana that more than half the country already enjoys," said Morgan Hill, spokesperson for the Smart & Safe Florida  campaign. "This poll reflects what we at Smart & Safe Florida know to be true: legalizing recreational adult-use marijuana is good for Floridians' health, safety and individual freedom."

Weed Legalization More Popular Than DeSantis

In contrast, only 52% of voters approve of DeSantis's performance as governor, which marks a 14-point gap in favor of marijuana legalization, noted the Tallahassee Democrat. This discrepancy raises questions about the political prudence of DeSantis's vehement opposition to  the cannabis measure and his stated attempts to scuttle it.

He seems to have a plan though. The governor recently implied that he is planning to veto a bill banning consumable hemp-derived cannabinoid products such as delta-8 THC. By preserving the hemp industry, DeSantis will not doubt secure its financial backing in his mission to sink the marijuana legalization amendment.

In addition to complaining about the smell of cannabis, the governor argues that expanding beyond the medical cannabis program, legal since 2016 would harm Floridians’ quality of life. Last month, the Florida Republican Party voted to officially oppose Amendment 3.

The Fox News survey, conducted from June 1-4, involved interviews with 1,075 registered voters in Florida, with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points. The abortion amendment, which will also go to the voters in November, garnered 69% support, with 50% of Republicans saying they support it and 45% saying no.

Another Surprise From The Poll

The Fox News results are notable in more ways than one.

They show Florida may be more politically competitive than thought, with President Joe Biden only down four percentage points to former President Donald Trump in Florida for the upcoming election, which is within the margin of error.

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Photo: Benzinga Edit photo courtesy of Add Weed via Unsplash and Wikimedia Commons