If the election for governor were held today, it would be a toss-up. Because, Florida! This according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll, which was released on Wednesday.
Overall, Crist leads Scott by 45 to 40 percent. But a third candidate has emerged to screw things up, as third candidates are wont to do in tight races.
Libertarian candidate Adrian Wyllie is garnering interest, according to the poll, which brings everything down to "too close to call" margins.
See also: Broward College to Host First Debate Between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist
Wyllie is coming in at 9 percent, which brings Crist's percentage down to 39 and Scott's to 37 and THIS IS OUR NIGHTMARE.
Things aren't as close down party lines. Scott beats Crist 79-12 percent among registered Republicans, while Crist takes down Scott 78-10 percent among Democrats.
The Libertarian candidate is getting the strongest support from independent voters. But the real problem could be that neither Crist nor Scott seems to be making anyone terribly excited.
This is, after all, a race between a guy nobody likes versus a guy who switched parties so he could run for office.
Because, Florida.
According to the poll, Scott gets a negative 43 to 48 percent approval rating. It's one of the better scores he's gotten over the years and, yet, still not great.
But Floridians are pretty much meh on Crist too, giving him a split rating, 40 percent favorable and 42 percent unfavorable.
Still, Crist beats Scott 45 to 38 percent among independents -- with Wyllie out of the picture. So, that's something.
Meanwhile, voters say Scott is not honest and trustworthy, and while Crist is seen as more honest and trustworthy, it's not by much.
Florida voters do say Crist is more compassionate than Scott.
"The campaign to be Florida's next governor tightens slightly and takes on a new dimension with a third candidate in the running," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. "Libertarian Adrian Wyllie is not, at this point, a serious contender to win the governorship. But he may have a great deal to say about who does win."
Either way, neither seems to be making much headway, which really says only one thing: Florida is faced with a pick-your-poison scenario with these two.
Scott and Crist will have their opportunity to sway people to swallow their respective pills when the two debate at Broward College on October 15.
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