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CBS Miami: Poll in Miami-Dade 'Terrible News for Patrick Murphy,' Hispanics 'Have No Idea Who He Is'

October 24, 2016

A CBS Miami program said polling data showing a tie in Miami-Dade County, Florida between incumbent Sen. Marco Rubio (R.) and Rep. Patrick Murphy (D.) was "terrible news" for the Democratic challenger.

A Bendixen and Amandi poll had Rubio and Murphy at 46 percent apiece in Miami-Dade, which has voted heavily Democratic in recent presidential races. On his program Facing South Florida, host Jim DeFede explained that the number was not a positive one for Murphy.

"No, it's terrible for Patrick Murphy ... If Marco Rubio comes out of Dade even with Patrick Murphy, Marco Rubio's going to win," DeFede said.

"It's terrible news for Patrick Murphy, because what you see here is, number one, Marco Rubio is over-performing Donald Trump by almost 20 points," Bendixen CEO Fernand Amandi. "Now, Dade County is his home county, and he does much better here. Patrick Murphy's biggest problem in Dade County and throughout the state, Hispanic voters just have no idea who he is."

Rubio had a favorability rating of 53 percent versus 41 percent unfavorability in the county, according to the poll, with just six percent of respondents saying they had no opinion. Conversely, 53 percent of all respondents did not have an opinion of Murphy, including 66 percent of Hispanics.

Rubio, who is fighting to retain his Senate seat, has led statewide throughout the race with Murphy, but the polls are tightening in the home stretch. Their election's outcome will be crucial to determining whether the Republicans retain control of the Senate or cede it to the Democrats.