Second Poll Signals Dem Pick Up Opportunity in FL-25

The Republicans have a lot of ground to make up in the House if they are to retake the House this fall -- more ground, in fact, than the Democrats had to make up in the 2006 midterms. And it doesn't help out the GOP cause to lose more seats.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today released a new Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research poll that shows Joe Garcia leading Republican challenger David Rivera by 7 points.

In the initial head-to-head in the race for Florida’s 25th congressional district, Garcia leads Rivera 40 percent to 33 percent. Whig Party candidate Craig Porter and Tea Party Candidate Roly Arrojo each received 2 percent and 7 percent respectively. Conducted September 12-19, the poll surveyed 404 likely voters and has a 4.9 percent margin of error.

This is the second straight survey to show Democrat Joe Garcia leading in this open seat race in a district that tends to lean about 5 points more Republican than the nation as a whole. And while this is Democratic polling, the fact that the GOP looks to be in a position to lose this seat -- or at least to have to invest some serious time expense trying to hold it -- can't augur well for the party's hopes to take the House.