The second push for a statewide medical marijuana amendment from Attorney John Morgan and United for Care tracking behind 2014 numbers.
By Jacob Engels
A new statewide poll conducted during the final days of January by Gravis Insights, a division of Winter Springs based Gravis Marketing, showed that the second attempt at passing a statewide medical marijuana amendment has less support than it did during this time in 2014. The poll, which came just days after Republican Senator Jeff Brandes offered new medical marijuana legislation, surveyed 693 registered voters – 37% being Democrats, 36% Republicans and the rest Independents or other third parties.
Sixty-four percent of respondents favored the legislation, twenty-six percent were against it and ten percent were unsure of the current ballot language.
The capitol is buzzing about Senator Brandes’s SB 528, pointing to the fact that a respected Republican Senator has a far better chance of getting relief for Floridians, than an initiative backed by Democratic moneyman & trial lawyer John Morgan – who funded Charlie Crists challenge to sitting GOP Governor Rick Scott and donated heavily to legislative candidates challenging GOP backed candidates. The Republican Party holds substantial majorities in the Senate and House.
“The “new” medical marijuana amendment looks a lot like the old one and voters sense that – which is why this new language appears to be carrying the baggage of the old language,” said Doug Kaplan, President of Gravis Marketing.
Kaplan also told us that amendments failing to exceed the threshold for passage by 10% or more in early polling tend to lose.
“Just a year ago the old language had over 70% and now with a Presidential turnout model the new language only gets 64%. In fact, the Yes On 2 campaign conducted a poll after Election Day and said if the old language had been placed on a Presidential ballot it would get 60-62% of the vote. This poll shows that even the new language does about the same and that’s bad news if you are on the Yes side,” concluded Kaplan.
The poll also addressed several other areas, including how voters felt about the way marijuana would be dispensed (through storefronts), how those facilities would be zoned and current federal laws regarding marijuana use. You can view the full poll here…
Jacob Engels, is the Founder of East Orlando Post & Seminole County Post. He is a seasoned political operative who has led numerous statewide political groups and has worked on several high-profile local, statewide, and national races. Jacob has been interviewed on national television & radio programs, with his work having been featured in the Orlando Sentinel, New York Times, Washington Post, Miami Herald and other publications nationwide. He can be reached at info@eastorlandopost.com
