A new poll finds former Mayor Scott Singer unpopular in Boca Raton, while Jared Moskowitz overperforms in Florida’s new CD 25.
A former Boca Raton mayor is facing an unusually steep challenge to win back political support at home, according to a new poll that could reshape expectations for Florida’s newly drawn 25th Congressional District.
The survey suggests Scott Singer. a Republican and former mayor of Boca Raton. is losing badly on familiar territory even as the district was approved by the Legislature last week and designed to be more favorable to Republicans for November.. CD 25 is a coastal district stretching from Miami Beach into Palm Beach County. including Boca Raton. where voters will ultimately decide whether the GOP can hold onto the seat.
In a hypothetical matchup, the poll shows Democratic U.S.. Rep.. Jared Moskowitz leading Singer by 10 points, a gap that stands out in both magnitude and implication.. Misryoum notes that the contrast becomes more pronounced when voters are asked to compare the two possible Republican options: Moskowitz is only narrowly ahead of another Republican. George Moraitis.. That pattern points to a problem specific to Singer, not a uniform Republican headwind in the district’s makeup.
Insight: Redistricting can set the terms of a contest, but candidate perception still drives the outcome. When one Republican stands out as significantly weaker, it can narrow the party’s margin even in a more favorable district.
The poll also highlights how voters view Singer personally and politically.. His job approval is underwater by 10 points. and his overall favorability is notably worse. with more voters saying they view him unfavorably than favorably.. Moskowitz. by comparison. earns a positive job approval rating. reinforcing his ability to appeal beyond his party’s base in a district that includes areas voters may not consistently align with Democrats.
Misryoum’s reading of the numbers is that Moskowitz’s strength appears to combine broader appeal with resilience in parts of the district that lean more conservative.. The question for Republicans is whether Singer’s specific vulnerabilities can be overcome. particularly when local sentiment is already hostile to his political record.
Insight: Personal approval ratings matter more than national narratives when voters are deciding whether a candidate can represent them. A large unfavorable spread can be difficult to overcome late in a campaign.
At the center of Singer’s difficulties, the poll points to development.. A majority of voters say Boca Raton has too much development. a view that undercuts the legacy Singer is associated with as mayor.. The survey further focuses on one prominent episode from his tenure: the One Boca development proposal. which voters rejected in March by a wide margin.. Misryoum notes that the backlash appears to have been substantial enough to shape how voters evaluate Singer. tying local politics directly to the congressional race now taking shape.
With voters signaling resistance to the type of development associated with Singer’s time in office. the poll suggests CD 25 could become harder for Republicans to hold than the district’s design alone would predict.. If that perception persists into the fall. it may not just be about who runs. but whether the GOP candidate best positioned to win can effectively overcome the liabilities attached to the former mayor.
Insight: Local issues often become national campaign leverage in swing districts. For CD 25, development sentiment in Boca Raton may be the hinge that determines whether the GOP advantage built into the map translates on Election Day.